Hearth and Home
by Riko-San
Summary: This was what it meant to be his Crownsguard. To push down all that scared her, all that broke her and made her want to lay down and die. To fight with all her breath to defend him, her king. She was his sword. Ignis Scientia x OC Minor Nyx Ulric x OC
1. Chapter 1

**I'm super excited about FFXV.** **This fic will be updated as soon as I can put out the chapters, and will not stray from the cannon storyline. I usually won't write out quests, but I can try if some one requests one and I'll post it as a oneshot.**

 **NOTE: So I went on the Final Fantasy Wiki (yes wiki, I know. Reliable, right?) and Crowe is described as the sole female member of the Kingsglaive. However, when I read the Kingsglaive article (about the group) I read that the Kingsglaive is split into two branches: mages (as seen at the start of the movie) are all female and the soldiers are all male. The mages in the movie all seem to be female, so I'm going with the two branches thing.**

 **Yes this chapter is very long- I apologize. I'm working like five days a week and going to school, and I just really wanted to go ahead and get through Kingsglaive in this chapter so I can start on the FFXV part of this fic.**

 **If you have any questions, comments, concerns- feel free to contact me. Enjoy.**

The loading bay was alive with chit chat so loud Rebecca thought her ears might bleed. At first she tried to gently calm everyone down, but when that didn't work, the young woman resorted to her least favorite method of catching everyone's attention.

"Everyone! I need your attention!" Rebecca shouted. When she was ignored, Rebecca cupped her hands around her mouth. " _LISTEN UP!"_ Her voice raised slightly, but her sharp tone was enough to quiet the crowd. All eyes were on her. Rebecca sighed and ran her long, slender fingers through her auburn hair. She really didn't want to be there. Of all places, she should have been with her fellow glaivesmen, fighting the Niffs at the border. Instead, she was stuck in Insomnia, readying the new Kingsglaive Mages to do medical recovery on the glaives when they returned. Rebecca eyed the new recruits. There were about twenty new mages, and ten seasoned mages that had been assigned to stay behind and help. There was really no reason for Rebecca to be there, considering she wasn't even a skilled mage. She knew some magic, sure, but her skills were invested in warping and physical combat.

She sighed again, trying to think of something to say. The other girls were visibly nervous- some were fidgeting with their hands or shuffling their feet. She had to make them feel confident while reminding them of the importance of staying focused.

Finally, Rebecca spoke in a strong, confident voice. "You girls are the back bone of this operation. Without you, those guys in the field would be goners." She began to walk to the right along the front row, her heels clicking against the smooth concrete. "Everyone needs to be on guard and focused when our comrades come through that door. Now, everyone knows what squad they're in and who their squad leader is?"

Murmurs of affirmation and confusion floated around the crowd. Rebecca managed to get everyone to settle down again. "Alright, alright. Here's the plan; When those doors open, follow your squad leader to your designated battalion, understand? There was a report of a daemon in the vicinity. That means there will probably be a lot of injuries, maybe even casualties." She looked at the youngest members of the group, some girls who were probably not even eighteen yet. "You're going to see some nasty stuff, so brace yourselves. Be strong, girls. If you all fall, they fall with you."

Rebecca placed her right fist over her heart. "For hearth!"

" _And home!"_ All thirty girls echoed, the smack of their fists against their chests resounding loudly.

For an hour, the group waited in silent torture, until Rebecca heard a sharp beep in her right ear. She pressed the button on the side of her earpiece. "Status?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer.

 _"_ _Lauwry, how soon can you ready the mages? It's bad."_ It was Drautos, her captain.

"On your word. We're ready, sir."

 _"Three minutes."_

She lowered her hand and crouched, taking one of her Kurkis and gripping the handle hard. "On my mark," She instructed. Behind her, the mages grabbed their own Kurkis and posed for battle.

One minute went by. Then two.

Three. The giant door began to open, and Rebecca held out her hand to the side, motioning for everyone to wait. Six trucks entered in and skidded to a halt almost in line along the sides of the loading bay.

" _Go! Go!"_ Rebecca suddenly screamed. She stood and threw her Kurkis to the nearest truck, disappearing in a flash of blue light. The long blade lodged into the ground by the door, where she reappeared. Behind her, a squad of mages appeared. She pulled open the door and ushered the uninjured glaives out, directing them to the right before climbing in the van to help get the injured on stretchers. When she was done unloading the wounded, she grabbed her Kurkis and threw it to another truck and did the same. Rebecca moved quickly, warping from one truck to another until all wounded soldiers were out on stretchers. In her hurry, she couldn't look around for the one person she was hoping and praying to still be alive. When she had a spare moment, her green eyes searched the loading bay frantically, scanning every soldier, every mage, without any luck. Rebecca's heart almost stopped until she spotted him helping a mage to carry a fallen glaive.

The Kingsglaive's hero, Nyx Ulric. Her husband of barely a year. She could breath again.

Nix glanced up and saw matched her gaze. His determined frown broke into a crooked smile and he gave her a thumbs up. She nodded to him and turned just as Drautos walked up to her.

"Have a report ready for me by the end of the night. I'll want it in tomorrow morning," Drautos said without looking at her.

Rebecca nodded. "Yes, sir."

For the next three hours, Rebecca warped from truck to truck, checking off the names of those who survived without any injuries, those who were injured, the glaives who died at the loading bay, and the ones who were still MIA. As she neared one truck, she noticed a good friend of hers, Libertus, laid out on a stretcher. He was pushing away a mage who was trying to cast cure on his leg.

"Dammit, that hurts!" Liberties shouted, grimacing in pain.

The mage was a teenager, one of the youngest. Rebecca could tell she was trying hard to handle the situation. "P-please, it'll help with the pain-"

"Liberties Ostium," Rebecca announced, checking off his name on a clipboard supplied by a fellow glaive. She walked forward, interrupting the young mage's shaky spell. "I'll handle this one."

The mage rushed off to another member. Rebecca crouched down next to Libertus, tucking her clipboard under her arm, and held her hands over his chest, preparing to cast a scan spell.

"What's with the leg, Libertus? Don't tell me you tried dying on us."

"Hey, Bec," Libertus greeted her by her nickname through gritted teeth. "It's just a scratch. I got caught under a boulder when we were retreating."

Rebecca began to cast cure on his leg. It wouldn't fix it, but it would give him some relief until he could see a doctor. "Just a scratch, huh?" She laughed a little bit. "I don't think you'll be on active duty for a while, Libertus," She tried to be gentle about it, but then again, it was news he certainly didn't want to hear.

Liberties groaned, but Rebecca couldn't tell if it was because of what she had said or because of the pain. She stood, straightening out her legs. "Just rest now," She ordered him, knowing that he would try to stand, "I'll send someone over shortly to take you to the hospital."

She hadn't even taken a few steps before someone was calling out her name, asking for assistance. Rebecca sighed. It would be a long night.

* * *

Rebecca flopped onto her bed, exhausted. As soon as she had entered the small apartment she shared with her husband, all the adrenaline from earlier disappeared. Their apartment had only two rooms- the bathroom and the living room. Their bed was on the right side of the apartment against the wall, a desk and a chair sat adjacent to the door and a TV stand with a small outdated TV stood directly to the left of it. Against the wall to the right of the door was Nyx's chair. A small coffee table was to the right of that. It wasn't much, but it was home.

Rebecca sighed. She hadn't done one bit of that report. Thankfully, there hadn't been many casualties, which was surprising given that there had been a daemon on the field.

Nyx hadn't gotten home yet. Rebecca couldn't find the strength in her to cook, so she pulled out her phone and texted him.

 _Grab some dinner on your way home?_

She tossed her phone aside. It was time to get to work. The glaive walked over to the desk and sat down, picking up a pen, just as she had done many times over the past five years. Rebecca hadn't been in the field for so long, it was hard to remember what actual combat was. In the city it was peaceful, so she had to rely on rigorous training to stay in shape.

She groaned and laid her head on the desk. It was one thing to write about the mission, but another to have actually been there. Ever since she was assigned the role of serving in the Prince's Crownsguard five years ago, all she had done was help with medical work, train, and fill out medical reports. It was grueling. Not that Rebecca minded serving the Prince; She owed the Lucian Royal family a lot for taking her in as a child, and Noctis was a childhood friend of hers. What she did mind was Drautos giving her mindless busywork, making her do paperwork and other trivial things. She was a _Kingsglaive,_ not a _secretary._

After a few minutes of contemplating her _telling-off-Drautos_ speech, Rebecca began to actually write the report. She was halfway through the first paragraph when her hand began to cramp.

The door handle jiggled, signaling that her husband was home, and she jumped up, happy to have a distraction from her gods-forsaken work.

"Hey, baby!" Her voice rose in pitch and she hugged Nyx tightly.

Nyx laughed and hugged her back. "Hey," He said casually, shutting the door behind him. Rebecca was beaming- every time Nyx came home from a mission, she could feel all her stress melt away, mainly because he was home and safe. The thought of losing him was her greatest fear, but losing him while he was away was enough to make her knees cave in and her chest feel as if it would explode. But there he was, safe, and totally unharmed.

Sort of.

"What's this all about?" Rebecca asked, frowning. She ran her fingers over a cut on his lower lip, which she hadn't noticed when she spotted him earlier.

"Don't worry about it," Nyx quickly responded. When he saw her skeptical glare, he shrugged and briefly kissed her on her forehead, pushing past her to set two bags of take out on the desk.

"Nyx."

"Rebecca."

She sighed, "You got in a fight."

"It wasn't really a _fight-"_

 _"Nyx!"_

He threw up his hands, a crooked smile on his face. He loved it when Rebecca got worked up. Her face turned red and her Galaian accent was really prominent, unlike when she was calm. Her accent was hot, and it was too bad he only got to hear it when she was angry. "It wasn't that bad, Bec! Look, I swung and he swung and that was it-"

"You _swung first?_ " Her expression was priceless. Jaw dropped and wide-eyed, Rebecca looked like she had seen a ghost. " _Nyx!"_

"He started it," Nyx laughed.

The young woman placed her hands on her hips. "You are a grown man, Nyx Ulric. What are you, twelve?"

Nyx stepped closer and place his hands on her hips, smirking in a way that could only make her face redder than it already was. "If I was twelve, then our relationship would be completely _inappropriate..._ Rebecca Ulric," His voice was deep but playful, making shivers go up and down her spine. This was a side of Nyx that he used whenever she was made at him.

Coming back to her senses, Rebecca pushed him away playfully. "Well, then, who was it that made you revert back into your prepubescent days?" She asked, moving over to the bags of food. The delicious smell of the greasy hamburger heaven that was the ChocoFoco food stand wafted through the room, making her mouth water. She was so focused on the sound of her stomach and the smell of the food that she barely heard what Nyx said.

"-Lazarus like always."

The female glaive spun on her heel, fire in her eyes. " _Luche?_ That stupid, pompous _son of a bitch-_ What did he say? Did you give it to him good?"

Nyx almost doubled over in laughter. Rebecca and Luche Lazarus had a shared hatred for each other strong enough to rival that of King Regis and Imperial Ruler Aldercapt. Everyone knew it, and the two did nothing to hide their distaste for one another. Luche hated Rebecca because of her position as the Prince's Kingsglaive, and the fact that, even though her home country of Galaia was untouched by the Empire, she still chose to fight under Lucis. Rebecca hated Luche because, well, because he was Luche.

"Gave him a black eye. Hand over a burger, will you?" Rebecca complied and pulled out a burger, handing it to him. She sat down on the bed and began to chow down. Nyx found a spot in his chair.

After a while of silence- save for the sound of the pair chewing -Nyx swallowed his food and reached for the TV remote. "I was reassigned," He said with a strange tone to his voice. It was a mix of disappointment, embarrassment, and exasperation.

This caught Rebecca's attention. "Wait, what? Reassigned? Why?" She questioned.

"We were on orders to retreat and Libertus's leg got caught under some falling debris. I went back to save him." He sighed, running a hand through his light brown hair. "Drautos put me on west gate duty."

She sighed and moved from her seat to stand by his chair. She rubbed his back. "Oh, baby, that sucks. But you couldn't just leave him there. I'm glad you saved him."

Nyx shrugged. "I'm not exactly looking forward to gate duty, but I can't complain. Libertus is home safe and sound; that's all that counts."

Rebecca smiled. That was why Nyx was the Kingsglaive's hero. He was always thinking of others, even when his job or his life or his wellbeing was in danger. Some people might have seen him as arrogant, but he was honest and trustworthy, and selfless.

"If the gate guys give you any trouble-"

"They won't, Bec. Well, not too much."

"Good. Cause I don't want to have to rough someone up." She winked at him and went back to the desk to finish her burger.

One thing Nyx loved about Rebecca was that she was brutally honest about herself. The young woman never pretended to be someone she wasn't, even when they were dating. She loved food, for example, and didn't hide it. For someone who was only five feet and three inches tall, the woman could put away enough food to put a family of growing boys to shame. Rebecca was physically fit, however, filling her days by training for hours on end. No wonder she ate so much.

Nyx was transfixed, staring at her auburn hair pulled in to a messy bun and her mismatched eyes, which was _almost_ unnoticeable; The splay of light brown freckles on her nose and shoulders, barely visible against her olive skin. The black tribal tattoo wrapping like a ring around her right upper arm was a stark contrast next to her white tank top. There was no doubt about it; Rebecca was one hundred percent Galaian, though her accent was hidden by years of living in Insomnia and speaking English.

"Wha arms moo looing ah?" She asked with a mouthful of food.

Nyx laughed again, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Rebecca smiled and swallowed. "What are you looking at?" She giggled, rocking back and forth on the bed.

"Nothing. Just remembering," He replied, smiling softly at her.

She wadded up her hamburger wrapper and threw it at him. "You're such a sap!"

He caught it and threw it back, that crooked smirk back on his face. "At least I get my work done!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the papers on the desk.

"You distracted me!"

"Whatever, just get to work!"

* * *

Rebecca's heels tapped against the tile floor of the palace, keeping in time with her rushed paced. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, her bangs framing her heart shaped face. She wore the same Kingsglaive uniform as Nyx and Libertus, although it was more form fitting to her figure and had a high collar that clasped together at her throat near her chin. Draped across each shoulder were two cords, one red and the other white, and on her lapel was a silver pin with a medical insignia pinned there. In one of her gloved hands she held the report that was finished earlier that morning. Rebecca was searching for Drautos- he hadn't been in his office, as he had said he would, nor did any of the glaives know his whereabouts. She couldn't even contact him via her ear com.

After some searching, she heard his voice around the corner. Rebecca jogged a little to the end of the hall, and then turned to go around the corner-

-and bumped right into someone. The result sent her to the floor, though the other person seemed to be alright.

"I'm so sorry!" Rebecca scrambled to her feet, picking up the black fedora that had been knocked to the ground.

The man she had bumped into was probably middle aged, with strong facial features. His red violet hair was striking, and there was a tint of curiosity in his strange, ember eyes. He bowed his head to her. "Fear not," He spoke, his voice smooth and inviting, "I should be the one apologizing, my dear. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Rebecca handed him his fedora, and noticed Drautos standing a few feet away. He wouldn't look at her. "Commander. Do you need something?" Drautos asked. His voice was hard but wavering, as if he was unnerved at her presence.

"Ah, yes..." She reached out to hand him the report. He took it awkwardly. "I've finished the report, sir. It's ready to be reviewed by His Majesty..."

"Captain!" The mysterious man exclaimed, "You don't mean to tell me this is one of your famed Kingsglaive?" He looked her up and down, but not in a creepy, checking-her-out way. More like he was appraising her worth. She shivered. "Certainly not such a poised, beautiful young lady as this is one that fights everyday on the battlefield!"

Drautos seemed to be even more uncomfortable. "This is Rebecca Lauwry, current commander of the Kingsglaive Medical Brigade. Commander, this is-"

The man waved off the introduction, "Now, now, no need to get into that." He smiled at Rebecca, and once again she shivered. "I'd love to stay here and chat, but unfortunately I have business to attend to. It was lovely meeting you, Miss Commander. Perhaps we will meet again."

Rebecca nodded, "Perhaps."

Drautos went to follow the strange man, who had already began walking down the hallway. Rebecca spoke up, "Sir?"

"What?" He asked, almost snappily.

She frowned. Yes, she had seen him irritated, edgy, and downright infuriated before, but never so on edge. "Is something wrong, sir?"

Drautos was silent for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to tell her. Finally, he said, "It's none of your concern, Lauwry."

Rebecca watched his retreating form as he progressed down the hallway. She stood there for a moment, dumbstruck. That man had given her a bad feeling, even though he was polite enough. The way he looked at her reminded her of someone looking at an object they coveted. But who exactly was he? From his attire, she could only assume he was somehow affiliated with the royal family. But there was something malicious in the way he spoke and acted; like he owned the place and everyone in it. There was curiosity in his ember eyes, but also a deep, dangerous, almost _sinister_ gleam there. The thought of it made her want to draw her kurkis and chase after him. Rebecca shook her head. If he really _was_ dangerous, Drautos would have done something, right? But Drautos seemed nervous, and that made her nervous.

Still very much confused, Rebecca exhaled and shifted her weight, wondering what it was she could do next. All that just happened considered, she needed some fresh air. So to the gardens she went.

* * *

The Lucian Royal Garden was one of the most beautiful places Rebecca had ever known. The large open area was home to many beautiful flowers and foliage, many of which had come from places all around the continent. Not only that, but it held many of Rebecca's most treasured memories. It was in the garden that she had first met Regis and his son, where she made her first friend, and later where she had her first kiss. She'd spent days there learning and training.

Rebecca walked over to a large potted plant. It's huge leaves were large enough to hide her fully, and they reached out to her, stretched out from stems that seemed to sink into the soft soil. She reached out and touched a large flat leaf, feeling the smooth, somewhat rubbery flesh of the plant in-between her fingers.

Rebecca couldn't help but smile. It was behind this plant that she had first met Noctis. The young prince, who was only seven at the time, had found her hiding spot and called her out. When she refused, scared and alone, he had crawled under the large leaves and sat with her until she was calm enough to come out and meet his father. Since then, she and Noctis were inseparable. They did _everything-_ sleep, eat, play, learn -together until they were forced apart for obvious reasons. Noctis, being two years younger than Rebecca, didn't understand the concept of this at first. Even years later, the two remained as close as siblings.

The stone path wound deeper into the garden, and Rebecca found herself wandering into it's vastness, lost in her own memories.

Like next to the water fountain, where Cor had once trained her to fight after finding out she had skipped her history sessions. The Moon Lilies, where she and Noctis were caught watching the stars after midnight by the palace guards. The butterfly bush, where she had first met Nyx. But a sweeter memory was right under the Galaian Hibiscus tree. Rebecca walked over to admire the tree, which was given to the Lucian royal family as a symbol of good will and peace between Lucis and the Althaean royal family that reigned over Galaia. There was one very special memory that was kept under the exotic pink and red hues of the hibiscus blossoms.

Rebecca smiled softly and closed her eyes. It was a long, long time ago, right when she had turned sixteen. She had just joined the Kingsglaive, and a long day of training had led her to sit against the huge, sturdy trunk. It was that evening an old friend of hers and Noctis' had sat with her after hours of studying, and the two talked for hours- on what, Rebecca couldn't remember. All she remembered was the feeling of his hand on hers, and the quick, spontaneous pressing of one's lips to the others. And then he was gone. Gone to tend to the needs of his young prince. So quick, it was hard to tell if it had actually happened or if it had just been a dream her mind had made up and convinced her to be true.

She stood still for a few moments with her eyes closed, feeling the wind ruffle her ponytail.

The _click-clack_ of stones being disturbed behind her made her flinch and in an instant, her right hand was at her waist, drawing her kurkis.

"You're quite sharp, Mrs. Ulric." A calm, collected voice resounded behind her. She smiled and turned to the source.

"You're the only one who calls me that, even after all these years, Ignis." Rebecca sheathed her kurkis and crossed her arms in mock offense.

Ignis pushed his sharp glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger. "Yes, well," He said curtly, "that _is_ your name now, Mrs-"

"My name is _Rebecca_ , sir," The young glaive quipped, smirking coyly.

Ignis seemed reluctant. "Be that as it may-" In an instant, his glasses were off of his face and in Rebecca's hand. Ignis blinked dumbly for a moment and she laughed, never having seen him look so confused.

"Mrs. Ulric," He said, not once letting his irritation show, "I will inform you that those corrective lenses, while not necessary, are still a fundamental part of my daily activities and therefore-"

Rebecca laughed and warped to the other side of the tree. "Enough with your trivial long sentences and overly dramatic way of describing objects!" She exclaimed gallantly in an attempt to mock him. "If you want your _corrective lenses_ back, you'll just have to fetch them, won't you?"

Now he was starting to crack. This was man of fine breeding, education, discipline and honor. Rebecca would be damned if she didn't make him squirm.

"Mrs.-" Ignis reached out to grab his glasses, but she spun out of the way.

"Hmm? Did you say something, Ignis?" She smiled wickedly and dodged him again.

Ignis was getting irritated, but of course it was hard to tell. He had been trained all his life to avoid showing too much emotion, as emotion could hinder his own better judgement. However, the way his old friend's eyes lit up and how her laughter rang out made something in his chest swell. He had to end the crazy red-head's game before it got the best of him.

" _Rebecca!"_ Ignis suddenly snapped, his strong voice thundering through the garden. She only smiled. Sure, the Prince's advisor was cool, collected, and composed, but he had quite a short temper if one pushed the right buttons.

Rebecca walked up to him and handed him his glasses. "Thank you," She smiled at him, and he glanced away as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Are you busy? Why don't we take a walk and catch up?" It had been forever since they had seen each other, but Ignis was still the gentleman he was when they were kids.

"I'm always a busy man, but I suppose I can spare a few moments. If you will," He held out his arm.

"What are you doing here?" Ignis inquired as she took his arm. They began to walk along the stone path. "Surely a commander's work is never done."

Rebecca shook her head. She thought about telling Ignis what she had seen, but couldn't find the words. Instead, she explained she had needed some air.

The pair walked for a bit and talked some, but mostly they just enjoyed each others company. It had been four long years since she had talked to her childhood friends. She actually hadn't seen Ignis, Prompto, or Gladiolus since she graduated high school, and even though she was Noctis's kingsglaive, they rarely got to see each other, much less talk.

A sharp, abrupt beep brought her attention from Ignis to the earpiece in her right ear. She let go of his arm and walked a few paces ahead, signaling to him with one finger to hold on.

"What's up?"

 _"The king wants to see you for your reassignment,_ _Lauwry."_ Drautos's voice sounded course over the com.

"My reassignment, sir?" No one had told her about any reassignment.

" _Yes. Get to the Throne Room immediately."_

"Yessir." She sighed and turned to Ignis, who was waiting patiently. He had said he was busy, but he seemed to be in no rush. "I'm sorry, Ignis, but His Majesty wants to see me for something."

He briefly lifted his shoulders in what Rebecca could only describe as a polite shrug. "Do what you must; Don't let me interfere with your work."

She smiled and patted his arm. "It was so nice seeing you again, Ignis. We should catch up sometime."

She thought she saw a brief smile flicker over his features, but his facial expression hardly changed. "It was nice to see you as well, Rebecca. Hopefully our next meeting will not be as far off it was this time." He told her, smiling again briefly.

Rebecca honestly felt a little awkward about leaving him there, in the garden alone. When she and Nyx got married, she could tell it had affected her and Ignis's friendship, but couldn't figure out why.

As she made her way to the throne room she pondered over the differences in her friendship with Ignis pre- and post-marriage, but nothing added up. At first, he would barely speak to her after the wedding and only nodded to her in the hallway to show his acknowledgment. However, as time passed, he began to open up more again. Ignis was skilled at hiding his emotions, which made it hard tell how he felt about her.

She pushed this thinking out of her head as she approached the throne room. Just as she did, the mysterious man from before was exiting the room. Rebecca didn't say anything to him, but as they past each other, he turned his face to her and she thought she had saw his face contort into something...unreal. His eyes were black and he had yellow irises. But when she blinked, his eyes were ember instead of black and his face was back to normal. He simply smiled at her and nodded his head. She nodded back, but didn't smile.

Inside, she walked until she was at the bottom of the steps that led to the throne, and bowed down to one knee. Rebecca stared at the marble floor and the way her face reflected in it like a mirror. She knew the king was staring down at her. King Regis was a fair, understanding king, but he did not take any crap from anyone.

"Rebecca Lauwry Caelum." King Regis's regal voice boomed through the throne room, making her flinch.

A long time ago, just after she left Galaia, some kind hunters had found her walking down the road in Duscae, and took her to Hammerhead, where she lived for a while before the owner, Cid, contacted Regis to take her in, as the damage done by her previous captors ran too deep for the mechanic to help her. It was hard enough to take care of his granddaughter on his own, and a little girl who didn't speak English and couldn't read or write in either language proved to be too much for him. Regis, after hearing her story, had decided to adopt her to keep her legally in Lucis without having her as apart of the royal family, which would have caused international controversy.

Of course, there was more to the story, but Rebecca repressed those memories.

That was why she didn't hold the royal name of Lucis as her middle name, and used her legal (given to her by his majesty) middle name, Lauwry, as her maiden name. Regis never called her by her full name. Nervousness began to build up in her stomach.

Was he planning on sending her back to Galaia? Had the Galaian government finally found her? Now that she was twenty-three, she was legally a citizen of Insomnia, but she had been smuggled illegally into the country as a child. There were no birth records in Lucis of her.

Regis spoke. "Raise your head, child."

She did as she was told. Regis was smiling gently at her. He extended his hand to her, "Come. There is something we need to discuss."

Rebecca stood and walked up the center stairs, her boots clicking against the marble. She took his hand and let him guide her to the tall window. Regis seemed to be limping worse than usual; the humid weather must have been making his bad leg ache. At first, Regis didn't say anything. Then, he spoke, but it was not what she was expecting.

"My son is to be wed."

Rebecca's eyebrows shot up, her pink lips parting slightly. "Noctis? Married?" She questioned, baffled. Noctis was the shyest person on the whole continent, if not the world. It was hard enough to get him to talk to any girl that wasn't Rebecca or the maids in the palace. When they were teens, he would freak out even if he saw a bikini-clad girl on the beach. How was he supposed to...?

She shook her head at the thought, even though it was hard to imagine Noctis hooking up with someone. The thought of him proposing to some girl was unbelievable.

"Yes. There is no other way to end this gods-forsaken war." It was a joyous thing, but Regis didn't sound enthralled. Instead, he sounded exhausted and concerned.

So that was it. Noctis' marriage was arranged. The thought crushed her; She wanted him to be happy, not married to someone he didn't know. Noctis was a shy, intelligent young man, and many people misunderstood his quietness for apathy. He needed someone who could crack his hard exterior and love the gentle soul underneath.

"So the Empire seeks peace, then?" Rebecca asked, turning to face the window. Her reflection betrayed her, revealing all the emotions she would rather keep secret.

Beside her, Regis sighed heavily. "I fear it seeks more than that..." Something in his voice made her turn her head and look at her, and she noticed how there were more lines in his face than there was the last time she saw him, how the bags under his eyes were dark with endless nights without sleep. Always carrying the weight of the crystal on his shoulders.

"Regis..." She began softly, momentarily forgetting her place and who she was talking to.

"...I am strong, Rebecca, but I am _tired._ I can no longer keep the Empire at bay." The old king placed a hand on her shoulder. He squeezed it gently. "Noctis will depart from Insomnia and go to Altissia. There, he will wed the Oracle, Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret-"

Rebecca gasped. " _Lunafreya?_ She's alive!"

Regis nodded, but didn't expand on the subject. Instead, he said, "I want you to go with him." She opened her mouth to protest but he interrupted her, "Please, Rebecca. I fear dark times are coming. Someone needs to stand by him, help him remember himself in times of darkness." He turned to face her fully and took both of her hands in his own. "I know the past years have been hard, Rebecca. I have denied you your freedom for too long. No more will you wander the halls of this city, bound by the Old Wall. I-"

"Your wall has protected me from the demons of my past," Her voice was quiet, barely an echo in the spacious room. "For that, I am ever grateful. I will accompany Noctis, and stand by him."

A warm smile spread across his face, and Regis squeezed her hands. His eyes sparkled with mirth and a little of the old Regis (the him from when the war had first started) began to show through. "I am grateful to you, Rebecca. Please. Make sure you go with him, and keep him safe."

"You have my word, your Highness." Rebecca nodded and bowed. After all, how could she deny her king? All these years, he had protected, educated, fed, clothed, and loved her as his own. She was flattered that Regis wanted her to go, but why her? Why not Nyx, or Crowe? She was only a medic, not really even that. Doubt coiled itself in her belly. She needed to talk to Nyx that night.

The Empire wanted peace, huh? But Rebecca had a bad feeling about it.

As she turned to leave, Regis spoke once more.

"And Rebecca?"

"Sir?"

"Keep this to yourself, please."

"...Yes sir."

* * *

The streets of Insomnia were lit brightly with colorful yellow, red, and orange lights as the Lucian night life came into full swing. The streets were crowded with food vendors, bars, and clubs, and people filled the pathways and roads as they made their way to go party or eat and drink. Music played loudly from all around, a mixture of fast guitar strums, deep drumming, and the click of heels and soles on the concrete as people danced and walked and ran.

Nyx was walking to the food stand he and his friends frequented, his Kingsglaive coat slung over one shoulder and a beer in the other hand. He hadn't seen Rebecca all day, but she had sent him a text message telling him they need to talk when they got home.

He walked down to the few steps to the platform where the food stand was. Libertus, Crowe, Rebecca, and Pelna all sat around the single table on the little veranda. Luche was standing near the railing, observing silently.

Libertus was the first to greet him. "Hey! Rough day down at the gate, eh?"

Nyx shot him a look, but Crowe was the one who spoke. "You jerk! It's your fault he got stuck there!" She exclaimed, shoving his broken leg and making him groan in pain.

"Not a very nice welcome for a big hero," Nyx smirked, catching Rebecca's eye. He winked at her.

Crowe stood and gave him a once over, raising her eyebrows at his disheveled appearance. She commented, "Not a very nice outfit for one, either."

"It brings out my eyes," Nyx shot back, making her chuckle. He walked around Pelna to the other side of the table. Rebecca stood and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before sitting down again. He slung his jacket over the railing, moved Libertus' jacket that was in his seat, and sat in-between her and his childhood friend.

Libertus made a strangled sound and spit out the shiksa bob he was eating. He turned to the food stand owner with his face twisted in disgust. "What'd you put in this? Tastes like a Chocobo turd!"

"Hey, shut your trap!" The owner said angrily, pointing at him, "This ain't Galahd; that's the way folks around here like it!"

Libertus's eyes got wide in mock surprise. "Oh, well, I'm glad to see your willing to sell out our heritage for a few extra _gil!"_

Before things could escalate, Rebecca reached across and smacked his arm. "Libertus, shut it!" She looked up at the owner with pleading eyes, "Seriously don't mind him. He's always an asshole."

"Hey-" Libertus protested.

Nyx looked down at Libertus' jacket, which was dropped across his arm. A bottle of pain medicine was stuffed into the pocket. He frowned, looking up at Libertus, who had begun to argue with Crowe.

"Hey, Libertus, you thank Nyx yet for saving your life?"

"Oh, c'mon, Crowe, Nyx and I are too close for that. He helps me, I help him; that's the way it's always been."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. Nyx and Libertus were childhood friends, having known each other from Galahd. Nyx tried to be a good influence on him, but Libertus was trouble all his own.

Nyx gestured with Libertus' jacket, "Looks like you got some help from something else, huh?"

"I need all the help I can get," The other Glaive said, grabbing his jacket.

Pelna walked over and handed Nyx a drink before sitting down next to Crowe. "For hearth," He said, lifting up his glass.

"And home," The the others chorused as they lifted their drinks.

Nyx glanced at Rebecca, who was surprisingly relaxed even though Luche was only a few feet away. Normally the two couldn't stand to even be in the same room together. He noted her half empty glass of scotch. She was never much of a drinker. Luche must've gotten on her nerves already.

After a few minutes of silence and eating, Pulna spoke. "So, Nyx the Gatekeeper," He chuckled, "How's the new post treatin' ya?"

Nyx took a bite of his shiksa bob and chewed before shaking his head. "Oh, it's amazing. You guys would love it. The gate watchers are real sweethearts," Nyx said sarcastically.

Pulna laughed, "Yeah right." His voice was suddenly serious, "We all know they hate us outsiders more than anything. They're so bored, they got nothing better to do."

"Well boredom's not so bad. Means there's peace, at least." Nyx shrugged. He knew the gate watchers hated them. He tried not to let it get to him earlier that day, but one of the guards had mentioned Nyx's wife in a particularly crude racist joke and he almost snapped. Nyx turned his head, speaking to everyone. "I'd fight a hundred more wars for it to stay this way."

Rebecca couldn't help but smile at him softly.

Pelna smirked, "Yeah, well, fight all you want, but just don't go dying yet." Beside him, Crowe's jaw dropped before she began shaking her head. Rebecca chuckled. Pelna raised his glass to Nyx. "I still owe you. A lot."

"I think you all owe Nyx, hmm?" Rebecca said, taking a bite of food. Pelna raised an eyebrow, amused.

"And you don't?"

"I'm the one who said, 'yes'. If anything, _he_ owes _me._ "

Nyx elbowed her in the side, almost making her choke on her food. She kicked him under the table.

"Where would the Glaive be without it's _hero._ " Libertus muttered bitterly.

"Libertus!" Rebecca gasped at him.

"Can you _not_ talk like this while we're drinking, please?" Crowe snapped at him. She gestured with her hands in the air. "Besides, we sent the Niffs running with their tails between their legs, right?"

Suddenly Luche, who had been observing quietly, spoke up. He walked away from the railing to them. "They weren't running from us. They were toying with us."

Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Rebecca inwardly groaned, having forgotten that Luche was even there. She took another shot of whiskey as Nyx spoke.

"Don't be such a buzzkill, Luche. We all...saw what happened."

" _Some of us_ saw what happened," Luche said pointedly, glaring at Rebecca. She slammed her glass down on the table with unnecessary force, turning in her chair to look at him. The owner of the stand stopped what he was doing to glare at both of them.

"You _really_ wanna go there tonight?" She challenged.

Luche stepped forward, making her stand up from the table. Nyx reached up and grabbed her wrist. "If you weren't too busy being Drautos' _pet,_ you'd have been there to fight like the glaive you're supposed to be," Luche said loudly.

"And if you weren't too busy being the resident _asshole,_ you'd stop being such a coward and lead the glaive like you supposed to be!" She shouted. Luche lunged, but Pelna stood, grabbing his shoulder before he could do anything.

Simultaneously, Rebecca moved, but Nyx gripped her wrist and pulled her down, pinning her to his side with one arm. "Babe," He muttered neared her ear, "You know he isn't worth it." She didn't answer, but he felt her relax against him.

Ignoring Rebecca, Luche continued talking to Nyx. "Well did you know they sent an envoy to the citadel after that?"

"What for?" Libertus asked, "To offer their surrender?"

"More like demand ours."

Nyx shook his head "What?" He asked incredulously.

"Demand? My ass!" Libertus exclaimed loudly.

Rebecca's thoughts went to the strange man that had been with Drautos, but she dismissed the thought. What business would the captain have with an envoy from the empire?

"Think about it," Luche challenged, "The Empire has Lucis on it's last legs. It's the perfect time to make demands."

He was right, and everyone knew it. Rebecca took another shot, making Nyx frown. She only drank when she was stressed, which seemed to be more often, and he was worried about addition. He pushed the flask of whiskey across the table. Pelna shoved his bowl away, no longer interested in eating.

The rest of the night went downhill from there. Lucie's little spiel had put a damper on everyone's mood, and no one felt like joking or drinking. Eventually they all said their goodbyes and goodnights, and went their separate ways. Nyx and Rebecca walked home, with her leaning on him more than usual due to how much she drank. She wasn't drunk, but the alcohol in her system made her giggly and Nyx didn't want to risk her getting hurt.

When they got home, Nyx helped Rebecca set down on the bed and then went to change into some clothes to sleep in. When he exited the bathroom, Rebecca was already dressed for bed; a tank top and some shorts. Her head was in her hands, an unusual act for the Galaian. He nudged her head with his elbow and sat down next to her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing the space between her shoulder blades with one hand. It was something he found calmed her when she was stressed.

She sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging with the weight of her burden. Nyx watched her with eyes full of concern. Finally, she spoke. "I have to leave soon."

"Some kind of mission?"

"You could say that."

Nyx waited for her to say more, but she didn't. Rebecca was always so open with him, it sent little shocks of pain through his chest that she wouldn't tell what was on her mind. "If Drautos said not to say anything-"

"Drautos didn't. The king did."

That stopped him. His eyes focused on the dark T.V. "...What for?"

She was silent. His hand rested in one spot, the center of her back. Rebecca only got this silent when she was questioned about her past, something he had stopped long ago, or when she awoke in the middle of the night, screaming from nightmares of her childhood. The silence between them was too much. "Becca, please. What's going on with you?"

She shook her head, wiping at her eyes. "Noctis is going on a trip, and Regis wants me to go with him."

"That's it-"

She suddenly turned to him, her eyebrows draw together in a mix of concern and fear. "Nyx, this is happening for a reason. Something bad is coming; you heard Luche."

"Luche is a cranky, ornery guy with too much time on his hands," Even as he said it, he was trying to convince himself that it was true. Rebecca rested her head on his shoulder, tucking herself under his arm.

"I'm scared, Nyx." Her voice was quiet.

Nyx kissed the top of her head. "I am, too, Becca. I am, too. I promise everything will be okay. How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. But Nyx- what if something happens while I'm gone?"

He turned to her, making her look up at him. "Nothing will happen. You'll go on this trip, have lots of fun, relax, and when you come home, I'll be here waiting for you."

"You're not going to run off with another woman, huh?" She said, laying her head back on his shoulder. A smile cracked her sad face, breaking some of the tension.

She felt his chuckle vibrate through his body. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He leaned his head onto hers, breathing in the soft mint smell of her hair. Her hand found his and their fingers tangled together. For the longest time, the two sat like that, knowing it would be next to the last time they spent together.

* * *

The next few days passed by in a blur. Rebecca had to make arrangements; as the Kingsglaive Medical Brigade's commander, she couldn't just take off without assigning someone to take over her position in her absence. She also had to pack, but she wasn't going to take much: a change of clothes, one being her Crowsguard clothes, and the other being casual street clothes. She had to remember how to summon weapons; after all, all she really needed since being a commander was her Kurkis.

Without warning, the day came.

She wasn't wearing her Kingsglaive uniform, opting for her Crownsguard clothes instead. Unlike her Kingsglaive uniform, these clothes were more causual; a dark navy corset/vest under a black leather jacket, dark skinny pants, and black boots. He hair was up in it's signature pony tail, tied back by a velvet green ribbon.

" _Rebecca!"_ Prompto almost screamed, hugging her tightly. "I haven't seen you in ages! Are you coming with us?"

She laughed and hugged the blonde back. They were standing in the Citadel, waiting for King Regis. When she pulled away, she poked his chest, examining him. "I am. Look at you! Been working out?"

Prompts stepped back and flexed his scrawny arms. He had muscle, but it was more of a lean, almost lanky kind of look. "You noticed, huh? Pretty impressive, right?" He smiled crookedly at her, his sharp face softened by the spray of freckles that spotted his skin. She rolled her eyes in a sort of mocking way.

"Oh yeah. I'm going to swoon."

"Just don't faint," Gladiolus smirked, crossing his large arms. Although he was younger than her, he towered over her small frame in a menacing way, but she only gasped mockingly.

Rebecca put her hands on her hips, "You mean you wouldn't catch me?"

He laughed, a deep sound that rumbled through the room. "You're a big girl. I'd laugh when you hit the floor."

She clicked her tongue, turning her head away. "Some gentlemen you are. Iggy? Noct? You two would catch me, right?"

Noctis, who was standing closest to her, shrugged. "If Prompto is why you're fainting, you deserve to hit the floor." His striking blue eyes and piercing gaze looked at her hard for a moment before he smiled dazzlingly. The crown prince of Insomnia truly was a sight to behold, but his charm did nothing to Rebecca.

"Gee, thanks," She elbowed him, hard. Looking at Ignis, she asked, "Iggy?"

"I couldn't say," Ignis commented, pushing up his glasses. "I'd do my best to keep you from sustaining any harm. Though his highness might be right in his statement..."

She threw up her hands, exasperated. "I can't believe you guys!"

Prompto winked at her flirtatiously. "You can fall into my arms anytime, Rebecca," He said with that crooked smile that would have sent any girl into a fit of giggles. Rebecca only sighed and shook her head.

"Thanks, Prompto."

Noctis nudged her and began walking up the stairs that led to the platform directly in front of the throne, where Regis was to sit. It was good timing, too, because not a second after the five took their places did Regis walk into the room from the door to the right of the throne, Drautos at his side. Everyone waited in silence as the king limped slowly up the stairs and took his seat. He waited a moment, carefully looking over each of them. Then, he spoke.

"The decreed hour is come," Regis looked down on his son sternly, "Set forth with my blessing, Prince Noctis."

Noctis bowed deeply. "Thank you..your...majesty," He said awkwardly. It was strange to address his father so formally. He couldn't meet his father's gaze.

Regis paid no mind to the blunder. "Take your leave, and go in the grace of the gods."

"Right," Noctis breathed, almost nervously. He turned and began to walk down the steps. His Crownguard stared at each other, confused. They had been expecting something more, a speech, maybe, or some kind of ceremony. As Noctis continued to walk away, all four quickly bowed to the king before following the prince with rushed footsteps.

As they exited the Citadel, conversation broke out once more.

"Well, princes will be princes," Prompto said, resting his arms behind his head and stretching the muscles in his back.

Ignis sighed, "So much for royal protocol."

Gladio, who was walking next to Rebecca, shrugged. "Not like you had to deliver a formal address," He commented, rotating his shoulder.

"It wasn't too bad," Rebecca reassured Noctis, patting him on the back.

Suddenly, Drautos called out from behind them, making everyone turn around. "Your highness!"

Regis was trying to come down the stairs quickly, but his limp made the process painfully slow. Noctis sighed, slightly annoyed. "What now?" he muttered before rushing up the steps to his father's side. He held out his arm to help Regis, but the old king waved it away.

"I fear I have left too much unsaid," Regis said quickly, taking a few steps forward, "You place a great burden on those who would bear with you."

Noctis laughed a little. He gestured to Regis. "You're one to talk."

Regis didn't answer him, instead turning to Rebecca, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus. "I ask not that you guide my wayward son, merely that you remain by his side." Noctis glanced back nervously, embarrassed by his father's choice of words.

Ignis and Rebecca both bowed. "Indeed, Your Grace," Ignis said.

"We'll see the prince to Altissia if it's the last thing we see," Gladiolus stated firmly.

Prompts agreed with him, "Yeah, what he said."

Noctis turned to them. "Hate to break this up, but Cor's got the motor running," he said quickly, embarrassed by all the attention. He started back down the stairs. "Drautos, he's in your hands."

Rebecca noticed a shadow pass over Drautos' face at the comment, but when she blinked it was gone.

"...And another thing," Regis suddenly said. It was almost as if he were trying to say something but couldn't find the words. Instead, he only smiled and said, "Do mind your manners around your charming bride-to-be."

Noctis smiled at the jab and walked back up the steps to his father. He bowed deeply and said, in an almost mocking way, "Your Majesty, as well. Try to mind yours around our esteemed guests from Niflheim."

Ignis nudged Rebecca's elbow and she nodded. She followed him, Prompto, and Gladiolus to the Regalia so that Noctis and Regis could have some time alone. As they neared the car, Cor nodded at Rebecca. She nodded back, knowingly. Cor had taught her all she knew about fighting, since he had trained her from a young age. Prompto practically bounced to the car.

"Can I drive? Please?"

"Absolutely not," Ignis replied instantly. Prompto pouted.

"Oh, pleeeeeeease? Just to Hammerhead? Pretty Please?"

Ignis sighed and rubbed his temples. Rebecca looked at the gunslinger warily, "Prompto, do you even know how to drive?"

"Sure I do! I just don't have a car."

"Fine," Ignis agreed begrudgingly, "But as soon as we get to Hammerhead, your assigned seat is the passenger or back seat. Understood?"

Prompto punched the air, a wide smile on his face. "Yes! Thanks Iggy!"

By that time, Noctis had joined them, and the five all piled into the car. Noctis took the window seat behind the driver seat (the look on his face when Prompto got behind the wheel was priceless), Rebecca slid in next to him and Gladiolus sat next to her. It was a snug fit, but not completely uncomfortable. Ignis sat in the passenger seat to keep an eye on Prompto.

And they were off.

* * *

-_-A few hundred miles outside of the city-_-

"It's been some while. Do you remember the last time you saw Lady Lunafreya?" Ignis asked Noctis.

"About...twelve years ago?" Noctis looked over at Rebecca for confirmation.

She nodded, "It was just about a year after I went to live in the city, so yeah. Twelve years."

Prompto spoke up, draping his hands across the top of the steering wheel. "That would make you..eight? You were kids-" Prompto turned around in the seat to face them but Ignis pointed ahead, giving him a stern look. The blonde settled back in his seat, facing forward.

"Hope she hasn't gotten her hopes up," Gladiolus said, looking at Noctis. Rebecca and Prompto both laughed.

The raven haired prince shot him a look. "Why not?" To Prompto and Rebecca, he gave a curt, "Get a hold of yourselves."

Gladiolus shook his head, "Just try and keep it together when you meet her."

Before Noctis could retort back, Ignis stated, "She'll expect to see a fine young prince-"

"Tell me something I don't know."

"We don't have time for all _that."_ Rebecca laughed loudly. Noctis elbowed her in the side. Ignis continued, "But...This _is_ your wedding we're talking about, Noct."

"I knew that, too."

"Did you really?" Rebecca smirked.

"Would you pipe down?" Noctis snapped, but he was smiling. Prompto laughed, but it was cut short by several loud popping sounds. His laugh turned from gleeful to nervous as the car slowed down without him easing off the gas.

"Uh..uh-oh."

"What do you mean, 'uh-oh'?"

"I think I know..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Me: Man I love this fic. I wish the author wouldn't take so long to upload a new chapter!**

 **Also me: *Doesn't upload for almost a year***

 **Sorry this took so long. College.**

 **If you have any questions, comments, concerns; feel free to drop a comment or PM me.**

* * *

-_- _The Region of Leide-_-_

The sun bore down on the Leide landscape in an unforgiving heatwave.

Rebecca groaned and tied her hair, which was dark with sweat, into a high swinging ponytail. She had shed her leather jacket -which, in Insomnia, had given her a break from the cool humid air -because it had become a leather death trap. It was laying in the back seat of the Regalia, with everyone else's jackets.

Even Ignis, ever the sharply dressed man, had discarded his dark blazer and rolled up the sleeves of his purple button up. Gladio had opted for a tank top which, in Rebecca's opinion, was completely ridiculous- he wasn't wearing a shirt under his leather jacket, so it didn't make sense that he would wear a tank top without the jacket. Prompto stuck wit his black muscle shirt and Noctis with his black t-shirt.

She was leaning against the right side of the Regalia, trying hard not to complain as much as Noctis and Prompto. The two were on the ground, groaning about how hot it was, how heavy the car was, how this, how that.

It was miserable in the heat. Gladio was trying to flag down a car, but his large, menacing body only made the locals drive faster. Noctis, who was sitting on the ground near the back wheel, yawned and looked up at him as he walked over to Ignis.

"I think we can forget about hitching our way there..." He trailed off as another car passed by them. He put a hand on his hip, leaning against the Regalia. "Thought people were friendly outside the city."

Ignis's voice wafted up from the front seat. He sat there, slumped over, his head down and hands draped across the steering wheel. "You can only go so far on the kindness of strangers."

Gladio started to stretch his muscled arms. "Just gonna have to push her all the way."

A collective groan sounded from the rest of the party.

Prompto, stretched out on the pavement, sighed dramatically. "I've already pushed myself...to the _brink of death,"_ He breathed the last part, as if the thought of getting up would actually kill him. "Bec, stick your leg out there and hail a cab."

She kicked Prompto in the leg, hard. "Get up. Why don't _you_ go stick your leg out there? I'm sure there are some folks out here looking for a pretty boy."

Prompto cried out weakly, but got to his feet nevertheless. Gladio patted Noctis on the back, signaling for him to stand as well. "C'mon, car ain't gonna move itself."

"I thought the _car_ was supposed _us,"_ Prompto whined, moving to the right side of the car, in front of Rebecca.

"Wouldn't that be nice-" Noctis mused, taking his place on the left side of the car.

Gladio, for obvious reasons, was at the back of the car. "Can it. Ready...Steady...Push!"

Everyone grunted as the car slowly inched forward.

Rebecca gasped, feeling her muscles burn with the strained effort. Her shoulder and back muscles were on fire with the combination of the sun bearing down on her and the weight of the car as she tried to work it forward. Her calf muscles felt like they were made of rubber. From the grunts and groans of the others, Rebecca could tell this was a mutual feeling.

"Un. Believable," Noctis grunted though gritted teeth.

Gladio grinned. "Not exactly a fairy tale beginning, huh, Prince Noctis?"

"We let ourselves get carried away," Ignis chided.

Rebecca smiled as Prompto tried to keep things positive.

"Look, these things happen!" He said cheerfully.

"At least it was just the car," She reminded them, whimpering when her back started to ache. "We could be worse off."

Gladio groaned, "Lets just hope this isn't some omen."

"Gladio, do me a favor," Noctis breathed, already ragged.

"What?"

"Push this thing by yourself."

"All by myself?!"

Prompto added whimsically, "You won't even notice if we just let go..."

"Prompto, don't even think about it!" Gladio growled, a guttural sound that reminded Rebecca of gravels being overturned.

"Hey, guys-" She started, but was interrupted.

"Save your breath for pushing," Ignis said.

Noctis looked at him, "Ignis, c'mon...Time to switch!"

"Guys-"

"Nu-uh, we just switched back there!"

" _And,_ it's _my_ turn, Noct."

"His 'turn'."

"GUYS," Rebecca shouted. "Shut the hell up and push!"

They'd been pushing for what seemed like hours, but Rebecca could only guess. The face of her watch was on the inside of her wrist and she knew that if she let go of the car to check it, all of their efforts would be wasted. Her back was aching, her arms burned, her head was throbbing. Sweat seemed to pour down her face- pour down everywhere until she was drenched. Her breathing was ragged, interrupted only by her own grunts and groans. Not only that, but the Regalia felt like it was fire from being out in the direct sunlight. Rebecca was glad she decided to wear her fingerless gloves.

She loved it.

It wasn't entirely pleasant, but she hadn't been on an outside mission in years. Her body, which had gone soft despite her training, loved the familiar burning sensation in her muscles, the feel of her lungs expanding, and the way her legs almost buckled at the weight of the car. She was grinning in spite of the circumstances.

Not long after her outburst, Prompto began to complain again.

"My hands are killing me," He groaned, voicing everyone's shared opinion.

Gladio was quick to answer. "Rather I kill you with mine?"

"Easy there big guy."

Rebecca grunted, "Gladio, wait to kill him until _after_ we get to Hammerhead. We need all the hands we can get at this point."

Prompto looked back at her. "Hey, Bec, aren't you _from_ Hammerhead?"

"Yeah? Its been a while since I've been over there."

"Why'd you leave? And I thought you were from Galaia?"

Rebecca was silent. For some reason, Prompto was very interested in her origins. He had been since they met. The only ones who knew were Regis, Noctis, Cid Sophiar, and Nyx. She didn't want anyone to see her in a different way, not after all the time they'd spent together.

She tried to pick her words carefully. "I needed a change of pace." She looked over at Noctis, silently asking him to change the subject.

He nodded and looked at Ignis, who was doing something with his phone. "Any luck?" Noctis asked him.

"Only a busy signal-"

"Hold the phone," Prompto suddenly interrupted, "Is it just me, or was it supposed to be way closer?"

Rebecca exhaled and looked at Noctis gratefully. He gave her a small smile in return. She knew she could count on him.

Ignis glanced at the map before answering Prompto. "I assure you, the map is correct," The advisor stated, though his tone implied that Prompto shouldn't have even asked.

"The map said Hammerhead was right there," Noctis defended pointedly. Sweat soaked his dark T-shirt at his collar and under his arms. The prince was definitely not used to such circumstances, and his face was becoming pink from overexertion.

"Literally next door."

"Looks that way- on a map of the world."

"You guys are so impatient," Rebecca said, "You mean you _don't_ want to be pushing this thing all the way across Leide?"

There was a collective groan from all four men.

She could hear the smile in Noctis' voice. "The world's a big old place."

"Filled with wonders," Ignis added, checking his phone once more for a signal. No luck.

"Tell _that_ to my legs."

"Are you guys even pushing?"

"Hard as I can!"

"Which isn't hard at all!"

"Shut up, Bec!"

* * *

-_- _Hammerhead Outpost_ -_-

A trip that was supposed to be a two hour drive turned into a four hour walk. The sun was high in the clear blue sky before they finally pushed the Regalia into the Hammerhead Outpost. The outpost was comprised of a full service garage, a shop/gas station, a rest area, and a diner. There were various cars parked in and around the outpost, though it was for the most part empty of human presence.

As soon as car stopped, Prompto collapsed on the concrete, although he wasn't alone. Ignis and Gladiolus were the only ones standing. Rebecca rested her head on the Regalia's fender and wiped some of the sweat from her brow.

She heard the clicking of footsteps against the concrete.

"Hey there, ya'll kept a girl waitin'!" It was a female voice, with a southern drawl that sounded familiar to Rebecca.

She was on the other side of the car from Rebecca, and Rebecca didn't bother to stand. Her legs felt like noodles.

"Now, which one's the prince?" The woman asked.

Noctis, who was sitting next to Rebecca, abruptly stood.

"Aha!" Rebecca could hear the smile in her voice, "Hello, your Highness. Congrats on your wedding!"

"Not...hitched just yet," Noctis hesitated, standing there awkwardly.

This didn't seem to deter the woman's fascination. "Lady Lunafreya's groom-to-be, right here in Hammerhead," She mused, pacing a few steps- Rebecca could hear her heels clicking against the cracked concrete.

Noctis shot Rebecca a skeptical look. She shrugged.

"Apologies for taking so long," Ignis's voice sounded from the back side of the car.

The woman laughed a little. "Ya'll best save your apologies for Paw-Paw."

"Well, that makes you..."

"Cindy, Cid's grease monkey granddaughter."

Rebecca was suddenly on her feet. She gasped when she saw Cindy. She squealed and ran over to the dirty blonde. Likewise, Cindy gasped, and the two embraced tightly, as if they hadn't seen each other in forever.

"Cindy!"

"Becca! My stars, look at you! What're you doing here?" Cindy gasped, grasping her arms and looking at her up and down, "You've grown!" She gasped again. "Wait! Can you understand me? You can speak english now?"

Rebecca nodded, smiling harder than anyone had ever seen. "I can. And look at you! You look so different!"

The four men all looked at each other in confusion. Rebecca laughed and stepped away, keeping her hand on Cindy's back. "I used used to live here for some time before I moved to the crown city," She explained. "Cindy and I grew up here together."

"Poor thing was a scrawny foreigner when she first showed up. Couldn't speak a lick of english when Paw-Paw found 'er stumbling' 'round the highway," Cindy added.

"Speaking of Paw-Paw..." Rebecca looked at Cindy, "Where's Cid?"

"Roll 'er in while I'm still young," A gravelly, rough sounding voice came from behind them. The old man that walked by them was slightly haunched over, and his footsteps were slow but sure. He walked around the back of the Regalia. "Didn't yer daddy tell ya? She's a custom classic, not some beat up ol' clunker." Finally, Cid looked up at Noctis scrutinizingly from under the visor of his hat.

"Prince Noctis," He said, seemingly able to recognize him without much thought.

Noctis meet his gaze. "Uh, yeah."

Cid stared at him a moment. He scoffed, lowering his head. "'Prince'. Like someone took yer old man and beat the dignity out of him."

Rebecca's jaw dropped, as Noctis gasped, "W-what?"

"You got a long way to go, son, and that slack jaw's gettin' ya nowhere fast," Cid said harshly.

Cid was just rough like that; he had been when Rebecca was a kid, so she wasn't surprised. She just didn't think that he'd have the gall to say something like that in front of Noctis. Of course, Cid didn't care. He walked by the front of the car, stopping to examine it's raised edges.

"She's gonna take a while. Ya'll get her in an' run along."

Cindy sighed and shook her head; her grandfather could be so stubborn sometimes. She smiled and turned to the guys. "Ya'll heard him! Let's get movin'!" Cindy said energetically, motioning to the garage.

Nocits, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto all groaned and shuffled to the car.

The old man walked to Rebecca. His harsh gaze softened and he smiled at her and patted her arm. "It's good to see ya, kid. Speakin' any english now?"

She smiled back and shrugged. "You bet. It's been a while, huh, Cid?"

Cid just shook his head, still smiling. "I swear, I'd've never thought I'd hear you talk in anything but moonspeak."

Rebecca grinned and shook her head. Cid hadn't changed at all.

After they'd pushed the car into the garage, Ignis came out with their jackets. Prompto and Noctis shrugged theirs on, Gladio choose to (oddly) take off his tank top and put his leather jacket on.

"Now, we play the waiting game," Ignis said, handing Rebecca her jacket. As much as she wanted to avoid her leather death trap, she begrudgingly put it on. Prompts's face was getting as red as a beet, and the other four took that as a sign that sunburn was very much a concern in the blistering summer sun.

Prompto sighed, clasping his hands behind his head. "Never liked that game," He pouted.

"Never any good at it, either," Noctis smirked.

"Hey!" Cindy called out, jogging over to them from the garage. "Ya'll ain't ever been out this far have ya? Go on, take a look around! Becca knows it pretty well 'round here, but this'll make sure ya'll don't get lost." She handed Noctis a map.

After discussing what to do first, the five eventually decided to take a look around Hammerhead, picking up any items they found lying around. Ignis and Prompto went to check out the shop, while Galdio, Noctis, and Rebecca looked at a nearby weapons vendor. The four met back up near the gas pumps.

Rebecca's stomach growled loudly, and she rubbed it uncomfortably. "I'm starving!" She said, crossing her arms.

Prompto instantly perked up. "Why don't we get a bite to eat at that diner over there?"

Ignis crossed his arms. "That would be a wonderful idea," He said, eyeing the garage, "had we not spent most of our funds on the repairs. I suggest we confer with Cindy."

"Broken down and flat broke," Prompto sighed, hanging his head.

"Adding insult to injury."

Rebecca shook her head as Gladio crossed his arms. "Old man's in for both after charging that much," the large man grunted.

Noctis smirked in a mischievous way. "Yeah, let's pay him a visit." Rebecca rolled her eyes and made her way over to Cindy with the boys in tow.

The blonde mechanic smiled at them. "She ain't gonna be ready for a while. Ya'll need something?" Cindy asked, placing her hands on her hips.

At first Noctis didn't say anything, as his shyness was creeping back in, but a nudge from Rebecca set him in to motion. "That price was a little steep don't you think? Is there any way we could get a discount?"

Cindy's eyebrows knit together as she processed what he said. Her green eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, now I get it. _This_ must have been what paw-paw meant when he said he was gonna 'teach them _boys_ a lesson.'" She shifted her weight onto one foot. "Told _me_ he ought to have ya'll take care of some ornery varmints that've causing a ruckus 'round here. I'd be happy to pay ya'll for your services, if you're up to the challenge. How bout it?"

Rebecca couldn't help but laugh a little. "You act like it's a bunch of Behemoths running around," she said lightly. "Think we can't handle it?"

The mechanic chuckled. "Hey now, I ain't sayin' that. Just want ya'll to be careful. There ain't much out here monster wise, but don't go running 'round after dark. The daemons're liable to ripe ya to shreds." She handed a small bag to Rebecca. "Here, this ought to be enough to get ya'll someplace to stay. Just between us, though. Don't tell paw-paw!"

The five said their goodbyes and went off on the hunt. Rebecca's blood was buzzing with excitement, her chest tightening with every step she took. She hadn't been hunting in so long, she'd forgotten the feel of a monster under her blade, the satisfying crack of it's bones as she sliced clean through them. It sounded sadistic, but she loved hunting.

Galaia was more of a wild land than Lucis and it's surrounding regions, and the hunter-gatherer system was still in place as it had been for centuries. Some of the more populated cities, like The Capital, were more developed technologically, but the vast majority of the country was still underdeveloped. As such, she spent most of her childhood before coming to Lucis hunting and killing for food. When she escaped to Hammerhead, it had taken months for her to understand that the food they fed her came from packs and cans, not right from the nearest animal.

After becoming a Commander, her hunting days were cut off, and she completely forgot the feeling it gave her.

As they crossed the road into the wild desert, Rebecca felt her old habits kick right back in. She quickly became the leader of the group, jogging ahead a few feet to survey the desert.

"What's up with Rebecca?" Prompto asked Noctis as they jogged to keep up, "She's like a completely different person."

Noctis regarded Rebecca carefully. She _was_ like a different person. Normally, the Galaian was laid back and when she fought it was with slow, calculated movements. But out there in the desert, Rebecca was visibly rigid, her muscles tight, her back straight as she made purposeful steps in seemingly random places.

"Rebecca may have been raised in Lucis, but she was born in Galaia," Ignis commented quietly, as to not disturb the woman in question, "She was trained as a hunter in Galaia, and then as a tracker for the Kingsglaive before she became a Commander. She is very much in her element right now."

Rebecca slowed down as they approached a huge telephone pole that had been cut clean in half. Just at the base were some Reapertails; Easy targets.

In one smooth motion, Rebecca pulled one of her Kurkis from it's sheath at her hip and threw it, disappearing in a flash of blue sparks. The Kurkis flew through the air at breakneck speed, hitting it's intended target with well timed precision. She reappeared and grabbed her other Kurkis, wielding both simultaneously and she slashed at both the Reapertail under her and one that approached her. Noctis warped to her side and impaled the Reapertail just as it began to strike her.

Rebecca heard the grunts and clashes of her friends in the background, but it was faint; she was too focused on the battle at hand. She flipped over a Reapertail and sliced through it's head, a guttural cry escaping her mouth. Noctis kicked back the Reapertail impaled on his lance and the lance disappeared. He summoned his Engine Blade.

"Rebecca! Let's go!" He shouted.

Rebecca recognized the call and quickly sheathed one of her Kurkis. She summoned a rapier in her left hand. Noctis threw his sword and she threw her Kurkis, both warping away. The two blades lodged into the largest Reapertail; as they did, Rebecca and Noctis reappeared, slicing clean through the beast. The ugly, scorpion-looking monster fell to the dusty ground in two pieces.

Prompto punched the air. "Woohoo!" he whooped.

Rebecca was grinning ear to ear as her rapier disappeared and she sheathed her Kurkis. The feeling going through her was exhilarating. The combination of the heat, the blood pumping hotly through her veins and the feeling of adrenaline in her muscles made her bounce with energy. Her face was red.

"You did awesome out there, Bec!" Gladio clapped a hand on her shoulder, making her grin even harder.

"I had no idea you could move like that," Noctis stated. He crossed his arms, smiling, "You've been holding out on our sparring sessions!"

Rebecca punched him in the shoulder, "You couldn't handle me if I gave it everything I had."

Noctis had feeling that she was right; after what he had just seen, he concluded that Rebecca was a very aggressive fighter. Of course, he wouldn't admit that.

The five, with Rebecca tracking in the front, went on their way across the area until the 'ornery varmints' were all dead. Rebecca was stretching her arms over her head when Noctis's phone rang.

"Hello?"

Ignis walked over to Rebecca, who had resumed her stretching. "Mrs-" he began, but hesitated when he saw the look that she shot at him, "You're bleeding, Rebecca."

She glanced over her arms, but saw nothing. She didn't feel any pain, either. "Where?"

He reached over and gently turned her around, brushing his fingers over a cut on her thigh near her backside. She hadn't even noticed it. It throbbed dully. "Oh, crap. Thanks Ignis," She frowned, turning her upper body so she could see better. She began searching her pockets for some gauze, but Ignis placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Please, allow me," he said, reaching into his left breast pocket. He pulled out a dark handkerchief and bent down on one knee.

Prompto saw him move and raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Ignis? Hate to break it to you buddy, but she's already hitched," the blonde said seriously; Gladio rolled his eyes.

"How did you not feel that?" He asked as Ignis tied off the makeshift bandage.

"I don't know," she shrugged, looking down at her wound. Thankfully, the blood blended in with her dark jeans, though it would be hard for her to wash out later.

Noctis started to look around the area like he was searching for something. He seemed to spot whatever it was and nodded his head, as if Cindy could see his gesture. "O-oh. Yeah, I see it. Yeah, we'll check it out."

"So, what did Cindy say?" Prompto asked.

Noctis began to walk north and the others followed. "Needs us to find some 'Dave' guy."

"He went missing?"

"Not 'missing'," The prince shook his head. "She said he's holed up in that shack." He looked back at Rebecca. "You know him?"

She shook her head. She hadn't been back to Hammerhead in twelve years, and for the brief time she had spent at the old shop she hadn't learned any English, so the locals, other than Cid and Cindy, were all but unknown to her. "'Dave' sounds familiar, but I don't recognize it."

"Well," Gladio said, breaking into a jog, "We better get over there, quick. There has to be a reason he's holed up, right?"

Once again, Rebecca took the lead, her legs making long strides over the terrain as if she had the entire area already mapped out. She was watching for small signals in the desert as they ran; rocks that were overturned, areas of grass that had been stressed or shifted, footprints. These clues led the five over to a old farmhouse. The tall farmhouse's shadow gave them a sweet reprieve from the blistering afternoon sun.

Looking into the farmhouse, it was immediately obvious that the place was abandoned. It was almost completely bare, with only a table, some shelves, and a few barrels resting in the corner.

"Nobody's here..." Rebecca muttered, eyeing the opening of the farmhouse. She turned her back to watch Noctis.

Noctis was looking at some letters that were on the table. "What's this? 'Codename: Bloodhorn'," He read.

"Rebecca!" Ignis called, sounding alarmed.

She turned around, bringing up her kurkis quick enough to push away a Sabertusk as it lept at her. "Noct!" She yelled, kicking away another Sabertusk just as Prompto shot at the one that had pounced on Noctis. Galdio was struggling against a particularly aggressive one; Prompto shot it with piercing accuracy.

The guys exchanged some conversation, but Rebecca wasn't listening. She was too busy hacking away at her opponents. Sabertusks were a bit more challenging than Reapertails because they were quick and aggressive, but Rebecca could outmatch them in both fields. She alternated between her rapier and her kurkis, warping to help the others out when she ran out of things to kill.

Rebecca heard Noctis grunt painfully and Ignis called out his name, and she spun on her heels. Noctis was struggling to fight off a Sabertusk that had pinned him to the ground. She threw her kurkis and warped to his side, summoning her rapier to slice through the side of the monster. It cried out with an ugly, guttural sound, and jumped to the side before leaping at her. Gladio's huge blade cut clean through it before it got too far.

"What was that all about?" Rebecca asked no one in particular, sheathing her kirks on her hips with a flick of her wrists.

Prompto tucked his gun into his belt. "Just an ambush, I think. I hope there aren't anymore."

"Is everyone alright?" Ignis asked. There was a murmur of 'yeah's and 'I'm good's. He bent down to help Noctis up.

The prince groaned lightly and dusted off his clothes. "I think we know now what happened to Dave..."

Rebecca shook her head. "We should call Cindy-"

"What about that shack over there?" Gladio suggested. He was standing at the entrance to the farmhouse, "It looks like it might be occupied. Might wanna check it out before making any assumptions."

"Good idea," Noctis said. Rebecca licked her thumb and rubbed off a dirty spot on his cheek. She knew it would irritate him. He pushed her hand away, grumbling at her. She grinned and shoved his head away with her other hand.

"Let's go!" Prompto exclaimed, energetically starting off toward the other shack that was only a few yards away. There were a few sabertusks stalking the shack, but they were quickly disposed of.

The shack was in better condition than the farmhouse. The man inside, however, was not. The shack door began to creak open.

"Hey, who's out there?" A middle aged man pushed the door all the way open. He was grimacing, and had to lean against the door frame for support. He peered at them warily as Galdio approached him.

"And look who's in here- The man of the hour." Gladio said, "Dave, right? Been looking for you."

Dave's face was scrunched up in pain. He was holding his right leg. Rebecca walked over to him, ready to help. "Are you okay?" She asked.

The hunter shook his head with shame. "Didn't mean to cause ya'll any trouble," He apologized. Like the rest of the folk in the area, he had a southern accent. "Been stuck here on account of my sprained ankle."

Rebecca's phone began to ring. She reached into her back pocket and pulled it out, placing it next to her ear. "Hello?" She asked, walking a few steps away from the guys to avoid interrupting them.

 _"Hey, girl!"_ Cindy's peppy voice almost startled Rebecca. " _Did ya'll find Dave?"_

Rebecca looked back at the group. "Yeah, we found him. He was stuck out here with a sprained ankle."

 _"That's good to hear. Listen, are you busy right now? Paw-Paw wants to talk to you."_

"Alright, I'll talk to Noctis about it. If I can, I'll be there in a bit."

 _"No problem. See ya."_

Rebecca hung up the phone and looked over at Noctis and the rest of the guys. She wanted to go and talk to Cid, but knew that she couldn't without Noctis' permission. They were best friends, yes, and legally siblings, but she was still his Crownsguard. It was still her duty to serve him.

She walked back over to her friends, who were looking at a map. "Noctis?"

Noctis looked up at her, curiously. "What's up?"

"Cid wants to talk to me. I might have to leave you all for a little bit today," Rebecca said. She wasn't nervous about asking him, because she knew that Noctis understood how she felt about Cid and Cindy. They were her second family. Like she suspected, Noctis didn't bat an eye.

He shrugged. "Yeah, don't worry about it," Noctis smirked, "What, did you think we couldn't handle this baddie without you?"

Rebecca punched him in the shoulder, "'Oh no, Rebecca, please don't go, we need you,'" She mocked.

"Get out of here," He laughed. "and be careful!"

Rebecca shook her head and turned the other way. It didn't take her long to get back to Hammerhead. For the first time since arriving, she felt a wave of nostalgia. The old outpost really hadn't changed in the twelve years she was gone. She remembered how she used to follow Cindy around like her shadow, always clinging to her arm or her dress. And all the times Cindy would get some gil from Cid so the two could go to Takka's Pit Stop. Like Rebecca, Cid had taken Takka in and helped him get his life back on track.

Rebecca couldn't help but smile as she walked into the familiar garage. It was cool in there thanks to the air conditioner. She had to let her eyes adjust to the artificial lighting after being out in the sun.

Cindy was working under the hood of the Regalia while Cid took a break. He was sitting on an old, well worn recliner. When he saw Rebecca, he motioned for her to sit across from him. As she did, he spoke.

"I remember the day they came to pick ya up in that ol' gal," He said, looking over at the Regalia. "You looked terrified."

She nodded, "I was. This was the only place I knew I was safe."

Cid looked at her with apologetic eyes."I'm sorry for putting you in that situation. It was better-"

"I know, Cid," Rebecca said gently, "I probably wouldn't be who I am if I hadn't gone."

"Speaking of that," Cindy suddenly said, moving to lay under the car, "I never woulda thought I'd see you runnin' 'round with the prince. What's that about?"

Rebecca explained the politics of her situation to them: how the only way she could stay in Lucis was for someone to formally adopt her, and how Regis had taken that burden upon himself, as well as why she wasn't technically a member of the royal family. She also explained her role in the Kingsglaive, and how that tied her to Noctis. Near the end of her spiel, Cid shook his head.

"Thats too much trouble," He said.

Rebecca shrugged. "Not many who were in my shoes were that lucky, Cid. I was wondering...Has anyone else...?" She shifted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable with her own question. "...you know...shown up?"

Cid thought about it carefully before shaking his head. "No. We had some hunters on the look out, but no one else has turned up. And no one's come askin' for ya in years. One feller did, just a short while after ya left, but he wasn't lookin' too hard. I'd say yer still safe, kiddo."

Rebecca exhaled. Of course, she knew she was safe. She was a healthy, capable fighter now, not the scrawny starved child she had been. But a strange source of anxiety settled in her stomach now that she was outside of the crown city's walls.

"How's yer man?" Cindy asked from under the car. Her voice was muffled.

"He's good. They reassigned him recently to gate duty; he wasn't too happy about that," Rebecca said, twisting the small diamond ring on her left hand. The small talk helped to distract her.

Cid narrowed his eyes at her. "I was surprised ya decided to get hitched, Becca, after what happened."

Rebecca's face grew hot, and she looked away. "I knew Nyx was different. He understood and he helped me cope," She said to the wall.

She could feel Cid's eyes on her. "What?" She said, suddenly annoyed by his spontaneous questioning.

Cid stared at her some more before shaking his head. "You are something else, kid," He said, grinning, "I'm proud of ya."

That made her feel better. All she wanted was make him and Regis proud. They were both great father figures to her.

"Heyooooo!"

Cindy sat up, looking at the entrance to the garage with confusion. Cid began to stand up but Rebecca motioned him down. "It's just Prompto," She said, "The guys must be back."

"Good timing, too, cause I just got done!" Cindy chirped, hopping to her feet.

She climbed into the Regalia and it started without a problem. Slowly, she drove forward until it rested just outside the garage.

"Sorry about the wait! Ain't she purdy?" Cindy asked, climbing out of the car.

"Almost too pretty for the road," Gladiolus commented, scanning the surface of the Regalia.

"She's back!" Prompto sang, "We should all get a picture with her!" He walked over and handed Cindy his camera, briefly showing her how to operate it.

Everyone took their places, with Gladio and Ignis standing at each side and Prompto and Notcis crouched in the front.

"Hey, Bec, come sit on the car!"

"I'm not a poster girl, Prompto."

But she sat on the front of the car anyway, closer to Noctis so the car was still visible. Cindy snapped the picture and held the camera out so everyone could see.

"Now it's time to get moving; Lady Lunafreya won't wait around forever," Gladio said. He was already opening the back car door.

Cindy was talking to Noctis but Rebecca wasn't paying attention. Cid had walked over to her. "Hey, kid," He said gruffly.

"What's up?" Rebecca asked, raising her eyebrows. Cid was quiet for a moment, before patting her arm.

"I'm proud of ya, kid. Ya done good with yer life." This shocked her. Cid was a good man, yes, but hardly a man known for his praise. She felt her heart swell with pride. She smiled and hugged him, surprising the old man. Cid patted her on the back hesitantly.

Rebecca found it hard to say goodbye. She lost track of how many times she hugged Cindy and Cid, and she almost cried getting in the car.

As they drove away, she couldn't help but look back at her old home.

* * *

-_- _On the way to Galdin Quay-_-_

The place Cindy wanted the gang to deliver to wasn't that far off. Noctis was the one who got it out of the trunk and handed it to the innkeeper, while Rebecca and the rest were stretching outside the car. They were visited by Umbra, Lady Lunafreya's black dog. How Umbra had found them was unknown to Rebecca, but she wasn't worried about that; she was watching Noctis. He held the old notebook that Umbra delivered with such care that Rebecca couldn't help but smile. She was confident in Regis' decision. Lunafreya would make a wonderful spouse for Noctis.

Noctis left a note in the book and handed it back to Umbra, and the group was once again on their way.

* * *

Rebecca wasn't really paying attention to the guy's conversation in the car. She had her head back and her eyes closed, enjoying the cool breeze. It was a beautiful day. She had actually fallen asleep for the majority of the ride. Rebecca woke to Prompto's voice.

"Hey! I see the sea!"

"I _sea_ it, too!" Noctis laughed.

Rebecca opened her eyes and leaned forward to see the great view.

"Galdin Quay," Ignis announced.

Galdin Quay was a beach vacation spot, well known for it's beach, food, and recreational activities. The floating paradise was made up of a spa, hotel, and restaurant connected to the beach by a wooden boardwalk, and there was a fishing hotspot just down the beach.

Noctis leaned forward. "Is that a mountain behind it?"

"It's an island- Angelgard Island, to be exact," Rebecca responded, looking at the map.

Rebecca tuned out the rest of the conversation. On the map Cindy had given them, it had a small bubble with a short list of amenities Galdin Quay offered next to the mentioned place. She filed this information away for her and Nyx's anniversary date, which would be in a few months. It was the perfect time for her to check the spot out to see if it would measure up to it's own high standards.

Ignis parked the car and everyone got out. Rebecca readjusted her ponytail. Noctis looked over at her.

"You still have that thing?" He asked, laughing a little. He gestured at her necklace, a short blue crystal that Regis had given her on her 'birthday', which was actually the date that she had been formally adopted.

Rebecca shrugged, a little embarrassed she had been caught with it. "I mean...I always feel better with it on," she laughed a little, "It's just out of habit, really."

"I've never seen you wear that before," Gladio said as the five began walking to the boardwalk.

"I'm usually in my uniform so you couldn't see it anyway."

Rebecca marveled at the tall leafy trees that seemed to thrive in the crystal blue water. She had never seen them before. "Hey, what are those?" She asked innocently.

Ignis was first to answer, "Those are coconut palm trees, or _Cocos nucifera,_ if you will. They are indigenous to-"

"You've never seen palm trees before?" Prompto asked her, cutting Ignis off.

Rebecca shrugged, stopping to admire the trees. "I think I remember something like those back in Galaia, but it's been so long I can't remember exactly."

"They make me want to take a vacation," Gladiolus said.

The five continued down the boardwalk until they approached the stairs leading up to the resort. Prompto gestured to something to the right, but Rebecca's attention was turned to the man walking in their direction.

The suspicious stranger stopped directly in front of them. Rebecca immediately recognized him; the strange man Drautos was with.

"I'm afraid you're out of luck," the man said in his smooth voice.

"Are we?" Noctis asked, his voice hard.

Instinctively, Rebecca remained close to Noctis. She put her hands on her hips, close enough to reach her Kurkis if she needed.

The stranger motioned to the side of the resort where the pier was. "The boats bring you here," He stated simply. He paused as if waiting for them to connect the dots.

Rebecca thought about being snarky and saying something like, 'no, really?' but she kept quiet. He hadn't seem to notice her just yet, and she didn't want to remind him of her presence. Of course, she'd do anything she could to keep Noctis safe, but at the moment she wanted to observe quietly.

"...What about 'em?" Prompto asked hesitantly in reference to the boats.

"Well," The stranger said before he turned his back to them, "they'll not take you forth."

Rebecca frowned and opened her mouth to ask why, but Gladiolus spoke up. "And what's your story?"

The man turned again and began walking past them, towards the boardwalk. "I'm an impatient traveler, always ready to turn ship." He slowed to a stop. "The ceasefire's getting us nowhere..." He added with a small touch of malice in his voice.

It was that statement that made Rebecca speak up. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him. Her hand moved down to the handle of her Kurkis. "If your suggesting that-"

The stranger abruptly turned around and flicked something at Noctis. Noctis moved to block it, but Gladiolus' large hand gripped it tight before it could hit the prince. A glare passed between Noctis and the stranger.

"What's this, then? Some sort of souvenir?" Gladiolus asked, inspecting the object. It was a coin.

Prompto got excited, "They make those?"

"What? No," Noctis shushed him.

The stranger merely shrugged. "Consider it your allowance."

Gladio stepped forward, but Rebecca spoke up. "Allowance? Says who?" She commanded, crossing her arms.

The man tipped his hat to her, smiling. "A man of no consequence," He said breezily. And then he was gone down the boardwalk.

The man was gone, but Rebecca still felt the need to stay close to Noctis, just in case. Prompto turned to her.

"You think that guy was right about the dock being closed?" He asked.

She shrugged, " I'm not sure, but it's worth checking out anyway."

The five went immediately to the dock. Sure enough, there were no boats there. "What gives?" Prompto whined.

Rebecca bit the inside of her cheek. She put her hands on her hips and turned, looking for any locals. There was a silver-haired man sitting on a bench just a few feet from them. She jogged over to him. "Excuse me! Sir? Who closed the port?"

He smirked at her. "According to my sources, the Empire. Strict orders not to let any boats dock in Altissia."

Rebecca didn't like the shifty way he was looking at Noctis. Just when she was about to interrupt, her attention was caught by a woman walking up the stairs. Time seemed to slow down as Rebecca took in her appearance. Average height but with a small frame- so delicate. The type of dress she wore wasn't one to be worn to the beach- it was almost a evening gown. Sleek black silk with gold trim...Rebecca wandered over to the stairs, captivated by the way the gold shimmered in the light. The woman turned her head to look at Rebecca from the top of the stairs. Rebecca looked up at her from the bottom. Her mismatched eyes didn't go unnoticed, almost the same hue as Rebecca's.

The woman's pink lips turned up slightly at the corners- amused, but by what Rebecca couldn't imagine. She blinked and the lady was gone.

Rebecca darted up the stairs after her. At first, it was impossible to spot her among the crowds of people walking about, but Rebecca saw her walking along the board walk outside.

"Wait!" Rebecca yelled, moving from a jog into a full sprint to the boardwalk. There was a sudden urge within her to make contact, and she knew why. The color of the woman's dress- black with gold trim- that had to mean she was someone close to the royal family. But why would someone in contact with Regis show up there, at Galdin Quay?

Finally, Rebecca caught up to her. They were halfway down the boardwalk, in-between the beach and the building. Rebecca stopped just a few feet from her, where she was able to get a good look. The woman's hair was a deep honey blonde, and she had tan skin. She looked so familiar to Rebecca, but at the same time not familiar at all.

"Please, wait!" Rebecca pleaded.

The woman stopped again, before turning to her halfway. Honey-gold bangs were swept to the side of her face, held behind her ear by a golden feather pin. An amused smile appeared on her face once more, and she lifted a slender finger to her lips. A signal to be quiet.

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, but a young couple passed in front her, distracting her. When she looked for the regal-looking lady again, she was gone.

"Bec!" Gladio called behind her. "What's wrong?"

"I just- I-" Rebecca babbled. She pointed to the spot where she last saw the lady. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "I thought I saw someone."

"We should get back to the others. Dino wants us to go find a big bird."

Rebecca turned to him, her eyebrows drawn up in concern. "A...big bird?"

* * *

Galdin Quay's hotel was one of the fanciest places Rebecca had ever stayed, aside from the palace of course. Her room was connected to the other's by a small sitting room. She flopped down onto her stomach on the single bed, practically melting into the soft comforter. The room had a sliding glass door on the left side of the bed that led to a small deck and gave a view of the sea. It was dark outside, the lights under the deck casting the water's shadow.

She turned her head to watch the reflection of the waves on the door. It took her a minute to muster up the effort to get up and take her boots off. She debated changing her clothes, but her change of clothes was in the Regalia and she didn't feel like going all the way to the parking lot. Instead, she set her boots on the floor near the foot of her bed, and settled under the covers in her day clothes. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it on.

Rebecca and Nyx both had an agreement when they first married that they wouldn't contact each other during missions unless there was an emergency. When her phone powered on, she had no new messages or missed calls. She sighed in relief and set her alarm for the next morning.

When she next opened her eyes, it was still dark. Her phone was vibrating. Groggily, Rebecca fumbled to pull it out from under her pillow and looked at the dim screen. Nyx was calling. She unlocked her phone and held it up to her ear.

"...Hello?" She said, her voice cracking from sleep.

At first she heard static. "Nyx?" She said louder, wide awake.

"Bec," It was Nyx for sure, but his voice was course and strained. "It's me."

Rebecca shot up in bed. "What's wrong? Are you okay? You sound-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'll be fine."

Rebecca frowned. Nyx sounded different, almost like he was in pain. "We only call for emergencies-"

He interrupted her again. "I know. I just wanted to hear you again," Nyx said. He began to cough. It sounded wet, as if he was coughing something up.

"How is everything in the city? Did the signing ceremony go okay?" She asked. She had so many questions.

It was quiet again, static filling the void. Then Nyx spoke again. "...I have to go, now. I love you, Rebecca," His voice cracked, "I love you so much."

The line went dead. Panic swelled in her stomach. "Nyx? Nyx!" She almost shrieked. She dropped her phone and gripped the blankets around her, breathing hard. Nyx was alright. He would have told her otherwise. He would have, right?

Her room door clicked open, making her jump. Prompto stuck his head through the door, worry written across his face. "Bec...?" He walked in when he saw her disheveled state, "Are you okay? I heard you scream."

Rebecca smoothed out her hair and took another breath. "...I'm fine, Prompto. It was just a nightmare, I guess."

Prompto sat down on the end of her bed. He scratched the back of his head and smiled at her. "How's he doing?" He asked seriously.

It wasn't Prompto's usual demeanor to be serious, but in a way it comforted Rebecca that he cared. She gestured to her phone. "He said he was fine, but..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the dark screen. Prompto's smile faded a little. He reached over and laid his hand on top of her.

"I'm sure Nyx is fine, Bec," He said softly. He squeezed her hand. "He knows what he's doing."

Rebecca smiled back and patted his hand. "You're right...Thanks, Prompto."

He smiled at her and stood, releasing her hand. "Get some sleep," Prompto said, walking over to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow," She said.

When Prompto left, Rebecca laid back down in bed and set her phone ringer to it's highest volume. Surely, things were okay. They had to be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Really short chapter. I wanted to upload something before I disappear into classwork for the next four months. Hopefully, I'll be able to upload again soon.**

 **Not making any promises, but I may be able to upload a little quicker with short chapters like this. I'll leave it to you guys to decide which you would prefer- short chapters that are uploaded a little quicker, or long chapters with longer upload periods? Let me know in the comments or leave me a PM.**

 **Guest1995: Thanks for your review! It's good to be back! I will be including Episode Ignis (I love that DLC so so much, no joke) in this, I actually have a lot planned for that particular little chapter, though I can't spoil anything right now. ;) I've got so much in store for Rebecca, and I'm glad your here for the ride!**

 **If you have any questions, comments, concerns; feel free to comment below or shoot me a PM.**

* * *

It wasn't quiet when Rebecca woke up. The incessant ringing of her phone's alarm was like a bulldozer in her small room. When she shut it off, there wasn't a sound. The waves outside were calm. No birds chirped their little good morning song. For a moment, she couldn't even hear her own heart beat.

Something was wrong.

Rebecca scrambled out of bed and shoved her boots on. She fixed her hair into a messy pony tail and shrugged on her jacket.

When she entered the small sitting room that connected her room to the other's, she stopped in the door way. Everyone was standing around tensely. The air was thick with dread.

"Guys..." she said, "What's going on?"

Ignis had a news paper in his hand. He handed it to Gladio. "It's in all the papers," Ignis said quietly.

Prompto peered over Gladio's shoulder. "'Insomnia...falls'?" he read aloud.

Rebecca's face twisted in confusion. Her hand went to her back pocket, where her phone was.

 _"_ I _love you so much."_

Noctis gasped. He looked at Ignis, face contorted in anger. "Is this your idea of a joke?" he asked, almost accusingly. Rebecca reached out to him but he jerked away from her.

"I need you to calm down and let me explain," Ignis said calmly.

"I'm as calm as I'm gonna get-" Noctis said, stomping over to Ignis. Rebecca grabbed his arm hard, her grip too tight for him to break free. "Hold it, Noct, we need to know what's going on and freaking out won't help." she explained. Turning to Ignis, she said, "Explain."

Ignis glanced around everyone's faces before taking a breath. "There was an attack. The Empire has overrun the crown city."

Gladio began reading from the news paper. "The king was found...dead."

Rebecca started shaking her head. Her ears were ringing. Noctis began denying it, arguing with Ignis, but Rebecca couldn't hear them. The ringing in her ears was replaced by the thumping of her heart. Her hands became clammy and she clenched them. The king was found dead. Her dad was found dead.

Noctis sank into a chair, distraught and torn by the news. Rebecca put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "...The Kingsglaive," she choked out. She cleared her throat before continuing. "What about them? They should have been there-"

"There are no reports of them at all," Ignis said gravely. "I checked."

Gladio looked at them all. He threw the paper down onto the coffee table. "We have to go check ourselves."

"That means...heading back to Insomnia," Prompto said, glancing between Rebecca and Noctis.

"It isn't safe for us there," Rebecca pointed out, though she wanted more than anything to go back. "And it's not safe for us here."

Everyone looked at Noctis. Rebecca squeezed his shoulder again. It was a huge decision to make, but it was Noctis' to make. Noctis was breathing hard. He reached up and grabbed Rebecca's hand, holding it tight. "Let's go," He said, more to Rebecca than to anyone else.

There were few moments that Rebecca had ever truly felt fear- at least that she remembered. Of course, these moments of fear weren't the same as being afraid. When afraid, a person went with their instincts- fight or flight. But true, paralyzing fear, that was the kind that made a person freeze up, unable to think, feel, or act.

Rebecca was trying to convince herself she was only afraid.

The car ride to Insomnia was suffocating. Between Noctis making depressing comments and Gladio snapping at him for doing so (along with Prompto's insight and Ignis trying to keep the peace) Rebecca felt as if she would break right there. Her mind was a storm of questions: What happened? Where was Nyx? Drautos? How did the Empire attack with the Kingsglaive there? Was Regis alright? She nearly jumped out the car when it rolled to a stop- she needed to expend her nervous energy with movement.

The Insomnia border was riddled with Imperial soldiers. Before Noctis even summoned his sword, Rebecca was gone in a flash of blue sparks, reappearing just as her blade impaled a solider. She flipped off the soldier as it fell and dropped low to the ground to avoid an incoming lance. Noctis soon joined her as the others ran to help, and the two hacked through the crowd.

At one point, Noctis switched to the defense, blocking hits for Rebecca as she warped around, taking soldiers out in one or two blows.

When the soldiers were all lying in heaps on the muddy ground, Rebecca followed her friends to the cliff overlooking the city.

Though the rain had picked up, drenching everyone and everything, the city was on fire. Imperial dreadnoughts flew above. Smoke rose from the rubble. Buildings, once tall and proud, were crumpled, strewn everywhere as if they were ruins from some civilization long ago. Streets ripped up, bridges collapsed. Power lines were broken or wrapped around uprooted trees. Insomnia was her safe haven, her home, her city. Now it was gone. Her gloves clenched into fists and she fought to control her breathing.

Through the sound of rain, a woman's voice, full of static, resounded from Prompto's phone.

"As to ceasefire discussions between the two nations, all provisional terms have been suspended in light of recent developments. More over, in the wake of the news of Lucian King Regis' death, we've now received word that both the Crown Prince Noctis and the Crown Princess Rebecca, as well as the Oracle Lunafreya, are confirmed to be dead."

Noctis turned to look at Rebecca, who stared at him in confusion. Her status was never made public, for fear of controversy. Why now? And from whom?

Prompto turned off the newscast, but Gladio barked for him to keep it on. Fumbling, Prompto dropped his phone. He went to pick it up but Noctis spoke over his shoulder.

"Don't bother!" The prince snapped. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

Rebecca's chest heaved and she ran her hands over her wet hair, smoothing back the stray strands. She had to control her breathing, control something. Noctis was talking into the phone frantically, trying to get answers from Cor. Ignis walked over to Rebecca and placed a hand on her back. She nodded to him that she was alright.

"Bec," Noctis held the phone to her. "Cor...He said...He needs to speak to you," Noctis' voice was shaken. He wouldn't look her in the eye.

Everyone stared at her as she hesitantly took the phone. "It's me," she said, her voice breaking unevenly.

"Rebecca," Cor's voice was rough, "The Kingsglaive has fallen. As soon as the Empire struck, traitors crawled out of the wood work."

Anger boiled her blood, and it boiled her next words, "Who?"

"That doesn't matter. The Kingsglaive is no more."

"What about Nyx? Crowe? Libertus? I know they wouldn't-" She fumbled over her words.

"Crowe is dead. Has been. Libertus is missing, but presumed dead."

Rebecca stopped breathing for exactly three seconds. She counted. Counted the seconds until she could breath again. Counted the drops as they fell against her face. Counted the minutes of silence until Cor told her about Nyx. But after four minutes, she knew it would never come.

Her eyes were shut tight, because if she couldn't see, she didn't have to face the reality. She thought about hanging up, because if she didn't hear it it wouldn't have to be true. Instead she gripped the phone tighter, so tight she thought about breaking it. "What happened to him?" Her voice was low, but not a whisper.

She knew, though. Of course, she knew. She knew when he called her early that morning, before dawn. She knew because they only called each other in an emergency. Hearing it hurt so much worse.

"We found him sometime this morning," Cor's voice was gentle, as if he didn't want to hurt her, "He fought from the beginning of the attack until the end, Bec. He gave it his all and more."

It hurt. Oh gods, it hurt. It hurt worse than any wound she'd gotten. But she was a soldier, a Kingsglaive, and in some sense, a princess. She was a sword. Swords were sharp and unbroken. She'd lost many friends over the years, many comrades. That was the nature of war, of course. People died, widows cried, and it started all over. That was what it meant to be his Crownsguard. To push down all that scared her, all that broke her and made her want to lay down and die. She was a sword. Sharp. Unbroken.

Exhaling, she opened her eyes. "Thank you, for telling me," She said, her voice stronger now. "Where can we meet you?"

Cor was taken aback, "Rebecca, it's okay-"

"Cor. Where can we meet you?" her voice was hard now. She felt a hand on her back. Noctis wrapped his arm around her.

"...Noctis knows. Meet me there as soon as you can."

The line went dead. She handed the phone back to Noctis. Everyone was quiet. Everyone stared at her. She swallowed thickly. "The Kingsglaive is gone. Cor said that Noct knew where to go," she said.

"Hammerhead," Noctis said numbly. "He's said he'd be there."

"And his Majesty?" Gladio asked.

Noctis didn't answer. Rebecca felt her stomach drop. Her father. Her husband. Her home. She caught Prompto staring at her. He looked away when she met his gaze.

* * *

It was still raining when they arrived in Hammerhead.

Cindy was standing outside the gas station with another woman, waiting for them. The woman was probably in her late twenties, with her long jet black hair held back by a faded yellow bandana. She was obviously a mechanic like Cindy, but dressed in a more conservative manor, in brown overalls and a navy tank top. There was a sun tattoo on her upper left arm, and another tribal swirling tattoo on the right side of her collarbone. Another tattoo snaked down her left hand but was hidden mostly by her brown work gloves.

Rebecca didn't speak while the guys said their 'hello's. Instead, she stared off into the rain, her mind a blank slate. Cindy introduced the woman as Dinah, who owned her own shop down the road. Dinah didn't say anything to the boys, but walked up to Rebecca and held out her hand. When Rebecca took it, Dinah pulled her close and patted her back.

" _D'jano,"_ Dinah said in Galaian, " _Te at'muh naj jehuho._ "

It was an apology, for the loss of her loved ones. Rebecca didn't answer her at first, but nodded in understanding. " _Neha. Mene chuto ne,_ " she responded, shaking Dinah's hands.

It had been a long time since she spoke in her native tongue, yet the language flowed from her mouth like water down a stream. Galaians weren't a common sight in Lucis, but there were communities in the crown city and other places scattered around the continent. Dinah's accent was thick, her words pronounced harsh and forced, while Rebecca's was smooth and refined, like a regal flower. Rebecca couldn't guess what part of Galaia Dinah was from, only that she wasn't from the coast.

Cindy and Dinah followed the five to see Cid.

Cid was sitting in his garage, grief weighing heavily on his shoulders. He stared at the carpet, and when he spoke it was almost as if he was speaking to himself.

"Crystal and the king's ring...what they were after all along," Cid said, his gravelly voice rough and broken.

"All talks of peace were merely pretext..." Ignis muttered. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, from either stress or fatigue.

No one looked at each other, nor did they speak. Rebecca was vaguely aware of the people around her and what they were doing, but her own mind was blank.

Noctis shook his head, sitting down in a chair as if he would collapse. "They played my father for a fool," He said through gritted teeth. Rebecca clenched her fists. For her to believe that Regis had actually trusted the Empire to want peace...it was impossible.

"Don't kid yourself," Cid scoffed, "Reggie wasn't born yesterday." He began to inspect one of his adjustable wrenches. "Lucis got dealt a losing hand, and Reggie played it the best he could. He saw this comin' a mile away, and he wasn't goin' down without a fight." Cid sighed, shaking his head. "In the end, though...It just wasn't enough."

Rebecca could see the grief weigh Cid down. He had lost a friend, a brother. There was so much emotion in one room, it was almost suffocating. Rebecca couldn't take it anymore. She turned and walked outside, into the rain. She kept walking, past the gas station, the car, the restaurant. The rain fell on her so hard it stung, like thousands of bees attacking her skin. Her hair was plastered to her face and neck, her clothes soaked, even her socks were wet.

She stayed out there, in the rain for hours until Ignis came to get her. It was long after dark when he found her sitting on the side of the road, staring into the darkness. The illumination of the garage and the billboard's lights reached just a few feet in front of where Rebecca sat crosslegged. Just at the edge of darkness was a Bomb daemon, floating back and forth calmly. Every so often Rebecca would throw a rock at it, just to irritate it. She knew she was safe in the light.

"Ignis..." she muttered, when she felt his hand on her back, "...when is this going to end?"

Ignis gently grabbed her arm and pulled her up, one hand on her back and the other at her elbow. She didn't fight, instead leaning on him to walk. He never answered her question.

"Noctis and the others are asleep," He informed her, as they headed to the small RV that they were staying in. "You should sleep, too."

All the lights in the RV were off, but Rebecca could still see the outline of Ignis in the dark. She stood there dumbly for a moment, unsure of what to do. Should she go to bed? Sleep? Stay up?

Ignis turned to her, looking a bit conflicted. "You should change out of those wet clothes. Cindy left you some sleepwear over there on the table."

Rebecca nodded slowly and began to peel off her jacket. It stuck to her skin like glue, and she had to have Ignis help her. Ignis went to hang up her jacket outside on the line to dry while she went into the bathroom to change into the clothes Cindy left. She came out wearing a pink t-shirt and some baggy sleep pants. Ignis took her other clothes to hang up and she folded up the table so that it could turn into a bed.

Ignis looked puzzled when he walked in and saw her sitting on the couch across from the table-bed.

"You take the bed, I'm fine with the couch," She said, letting her hair down. It fell limply to her shoulders.

Ignis shook his head. "I'll take the couch. You need to sleep, Rebecca."

Rebecca couldn't find the strength to argue. As soon as she laid down under the covers the full weight of the day hit her full force. Her muscles, limbs, and head ached. Her eyelids grew heavy despite her trying not to sleep.

"Ignis," She said, her voice slurred with sleep, "...this is only the beginning..."

"I'm afraid so," He answered quietly.

That night, Rebecca had dreams of the people she had lost.


	4. Chapter 4

**Back again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really love getting your feedback! I think I might stick to shorter, quicker chapters, I like being able to write like this. There _is_ one thing I want to point out, though: In chapter 2 it's stated that her crystal is blue, but it's actually purple. Sorry for the confusion.**

 **Guest1995: Thanks for reviewing! Rebecca was adopted by Regis as a child to keep her legally in Lucis, but her status as 'princess' was kept secret to avoid controversy (like people spreading rumors, since a Lucian king** **spontaneously having a Galaian child may seem shady). I'm sorry for the confusion, her relationship with Noctis and Regis is mentioned a little in this chapter and will be further explored later.**

 **If you have any questions, comments, concerns, feel free drop a comment below or PM me.**

* * *

My future is fuzzy, my past forgotten.

I'm stuck here,

Walking back

And forth between life and death.

Alone, but not alone.

I'm in a coma, but no one knows.

This pain is real, but it's all in my head.

I don't know what to think,

I don't know what to think,

I don't know what to think

 _-_ Mallory Thomas

* * *

 _Rebecca peered at the King from where she sat on the cold tile floor. She was playing with a stuffed moogle doll that the mysterious King had given her, even though she was eleven years old and didn't play with dolls anymore. Rebecca pulled at the hem of her blue dress as she listened in on the King's conversation. He was on the phone. To her, it sounded like gibberish. She couldn't understand what he was saying or why she was there, just that Cid had sent her away._

 _At first, she wondered if Cid had tired of her, because she couldn't understand him or speak back, but when she saw how luxurious the huge palace she had been brought to was, she knew that wasn't the case. When people tired of her, they didn't send her to nice places._

 _The King hung up the phone unexpectedly. The clang of the phone on the receiver made her jump. He turned to her and said something in a gentle voice. She nodded, though she had no idea what he said. It sounded nice, and that was all she needed to go back to playing._

 _She was pretending the moogle doll was dancing when the door opened. It was man, much older than her. She didn't need to use inferences to figure out who he was. In Galaia, he was called, "Kha Ak'mahre," or, "The Reaper." His name was one of the few english names she knew. Cor Leonis._

* * *

 _Rebecca smoothed back the hairs that escaped her ponytail, breathing hard. Her chest was heaving, her back aching, sweat sliding down her face and dripping off her nose. She was exhausted, but couldn't let it show to her new comrades._

 _Having just turned nineteen, she was the youngest of the group of Glaives training in the courtyard that day. Rebecca could feel all twenty pairs of eyes on her as she gripped her blade, ready to throw it. Word had gotten out about her 'incredible' progress as a fighter, having shot up the list of hopeful newcomers within weeks. Some said she was a prodigy, others said she was just affluent enough to make it. No matter what they believed, she needed to prove that she belonged in the upper ranks of the Kingsglaive._

 _With a grunt, she flicked her wrist up and sent her kurkis flying across the courtyard. She held her breath as it soared, exhaling only when her blade sunk deep into the red center of the target set up on the far side of the yard. Murmurs of surprise went through the group as Drautos calmed everyone down._

 _"All right, all right. Lauwry was the last one to go, so trainings' over for today. Be here same time tomorrow," He said loudly as he checked off something on his clipboard._

 _The Glaives all dispersed, talking amongst themselves. Rebecca walked over to the target, pulling at the hem of her tank top. She was breathing hard. Right as she reached out to grab her kurkis, one of the female Glaives walked up to her._

 _"Nice throw, kid," She said, holding out her hand, "My name's Crowe. Nice to meet you."_

 _Rebecca sheathed her kurkis and shook Crowe's hand. "Thanks. I'm Rebecca. It's nice to meet you, too."_

 _Crowe smiled at her, "I know. Everyone knows 'Rebecca Lauwry'. You're the talk of the palace."_

 _Crowe started walking alongside Rebecca as she went to leave. "So I've heard," Rebecca chuckled._

 _"Listen, me and some friends are going out for some drinks later. Wanna join us?" Crowe offered, gesturing to the group of friends in question._

 _Rebecca looked over Crowe's shoulder and saw a group of men standing just a few feet away, talking. One of them, a young man with dark hair and blue eyes, looked over at her and smiled. A shorter heavyset man with a ponytail shoved his arm suddenly, snickering at him._

 _"Um, sure," Rebecca nodded, looking at Crowe. Crowe gave her the time and place, and waved to her as she walked back to her group of friends. Rebecca waved back to her, glancing at the young man once more. He nodded to her, smiling slightly. She felt herself smiling a little, and she nodded back._

* * *

Rebecca opened her eyes groggily. Ignis was shaking her shoulder gently.

"Mmm?" She grumbled, sitting up. Her head was clouded and heavy, and she felt as if she hadn't slept at all. She rubbed her face as Ignis stepped back.

"It's time to get going," Ignis told her, handing her her clothes. "Cor is waiting for us at a Royal Tomb."

Rebecca mumbled something in response but Ignis couldn't make it out. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach, his chest tightening as he took in Rebecca's disheveled appearance, her tangled hair and pale face, the bags under her eyes, and the way her shoulders slumped over when she sat up. She looked awful. Ignis looked away quickly and moved to gather everyone's things from the back of the RV.

Rebecca got dressed quickly and put on her leather jacket. She put her hair up in her signature high swinging ponytail. Her throat was sore, her head throbbing even in the silence of the RV. Ignis regarded her silently as she folded up the bed into a table and stretched out her arms over her head. She caught Ignis staring at her. He turned away when their gazes met and walked out into the rain.

Everyone, even Noctis, watched her when she wasn't looking, and avoided her eyes when she noticed. Irritation started to coil in her chest like a spring, but she swallowed and ignored them, heading to the car.

Cindy said her goodbyes, though Cid was no where to be seen. Rebecca figured he was somewhere mourning.

"Be strong, girl," Cindy said gently, hugging Rebecca tightly, "Ya'll always have a place here."

"Thanks, Cindy," Rebecca said, hugging her back. She turned to face Dinah. Dinah held out a small brown felt bag to her. When Rebecca looked inside it, she found that it was full of gil. She looked at Dinah quizzically.

"You might need it," Dinah said in clipped english, "Safe travels, _mina._ "

Rebecca nodded to her. "Thank you, Dinah."

Before she could turn around, Dinah suddenly grabbed her arm. Rebecca instinctively tried to shake her off, but Dinah held her arm tightly. "Who are you, Rebecca?" Dinah asked quietly. Her voice was intense.

"What?" Rebecca replied, her face twisting in confusion.

"Remember," Dinah said urgently, "remember before you forget."

Dinah let go of Rebecca's arm and Rebecca stumbled back. She hurried to the car and hastily jumped in, settling next to Noctis. Her head was hurting worse than before. She laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes, hoping to quell her oncoming migraine.

* * *

The Lucian Royal Tombs was a sacred place. As they walked to the entrance, Rebecca could feel it's imposing atmosphere as they approached the tomb. It looked like a simple tomb from the outside, humble in that it wasn't large and had a simple design. It wasn't the building that sent chills down her spine- it was its history.

There were many legends surrounding the tombs and the Royal Arms contained within. It was common knowledge only the current Lucian monarch could wield the power of the arms, and only unless that monarch was of Lucian blood. Power beyond Rebecca's comprehension. She felt so small to be in the presence of one of her adopted ancestors, even if they _had_ died long long ago.

Cor was waiting inside the Tomb of the Wise, near the actual tomb in the center of the bare room. He turned to them as they approached. His frown was stern, like always. Deep down, Rebecca was happy that at least one person from home was alive.

"Reaper," She said in greeting. She had always thought the Galaian title for him was more appropriate than 'The Immortal'. The only man to have faced Gilgamesh and lived.

Cor nodded to her. Noctis was stiff next to her as Cor spoke to him. "Your Highness, at last."

"Wanna tell me what I'm here for?" Noctis asked curtly. He had become quick to anger in the wake of his father's death.

"The power of kings, passed from the old to the new through a bonding of souls," Cor held his hand out over the tomb to demonstrate. "One such soul lies before you. To claim your forebears' power is your birthright and duty as king."

Rebecca's chest ached with the realization of Noctis' role. She had had no idea how much was on his shoulders. Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus watched on next to her as Noctis' hands turned to fists.

"My duty as king of what?" He asked through gritted teeth.

His question shocked Rebecca the others, but Cor shook his head. "Now's not the time to question your calling," He stated, walking around the tomb. "A king's duty is to protect his people-"

"-And yet he chose to protect one prince." Noctis interrupted him. Everyone knew the real reason why he had been sent out of the crown city. Why his life was saved above all the others. And the thought almost made him sick. "Was that _his_ calling? Sacrifice the masses to spare his own son?"

Rebecca blinked away her tears. Hearing Noctis say that was much worse than thinking it. Of course, she knew and understood the importance of Noctis' life. When she swore to be his sword at the age of fourteen, she knew that Noctis living was worth more than her own adopted title and birthright, more than her being a princess, or even his sister. And she voluntarily gave that up to protect him, so that he could live. To her, who saw the significance of it, hearing Noctis state that he thought it was all in vain hurt her very soul.

Gladiolus saw her internal struggle and put his arm around her in an attempt to sooth her. She smiled at him slightly.

Cor wasn't having any of it, though. "How long will you remain the protected? Your father entrusted the role of the protector to _you,_ " he stressed.

"'Entrusted' it to me...?" Noctis sounded almost broken as he raised his voice, "Then _why_ didn't he tell me? _Why_ did he just _stand there_ smiling at me as I left? Why..." He gripped the edge of the tomb until his knuckles turned white. "Why did he _lie_ to me?" He asked quietly.

Rebecca stepped forward and touched his shoulder. He didn't seem to notice. There was a heavy silence as his confession settled in.

Cor answered gently, as he had with Rebecca the day before. "He didn't want you to remember him as the king. With what time you had left together, he wanted to be your father. He always had faith in you, that one day you would ascend for the sake of your people."

All was silent again. Noctis straightened up and Rebecca stepped back. "I guess he left me no choice," He said.

With that, Noctis reached out his hand over the tomb. The sword laying in the statue's grip began to glow white and became translucent. It rose up through the stone into the air above, shining unbearably bright. Everyone shielded their eyes from the painful glow, and Rebecca felt her necklace grow warm. It began to glow as well, and it rose off her chest. Had it not been for the black chain that it was fastened to, it would have gone straight up into the air.

The sword suddenly swung down, passing straight through Noctis' chest with a blinding light. It faded away, leaving the room in near darkness. Rebecca's necklace soon faded as well and fell to her chest with a soft _thud._

"The power of kings go with you, your Majesty," Cor said. He turned to Rebecca. "And you. It looks like King Regis left a piece of the crystal to you."

Rebecca reached up and grasped the crystal, which was still a little warm. Purple in color and only as big as her pinkie finger, it was the last thing of home she had left.

"This...he gave this to me on my sixteenth birthday," She explained, "How could it be apart of the crystal?"

Cor shook his head. "His Majesty had everything planned out in case something like this happened. You need to keep that safe, Rebecca. Guard it with your life."

She nodded, lowering her hand. There was a lump forming in her throat. Regis had entrusted a piece of the crystal to _her_ of all people. Regis had given it to her with his complete trust. Her eyes started to water but she took a breath to keep them at bay.

Cor gave them instructions about where to go next. There was another Royal Tomb in the Keycatrich Trench nearby. Cor insisted that he go with them, to 'get a measure of their strength'.

That was how all six of them ended up piled in the Regalia, with Cor sitting in the back between Noctis and Gladio and Rebecca sitting on Gladio with her legs stretched out over Cor and Noctis.

Ignis muttered something about how unsafe it was, Prompto was snapping pictures, and Gladio complained about Rebecca's 'bony ass'. Noctis made sarcastic comments. Cor remained silent (but amused) at their antics.

For the most part, Rebecca was too focused on the fact that her legs were laying on her former teacher's lap to think too much of the looming situation. She was embarrassed, to say the least. And nervous that Cor would be fighting with them. She hadn't trained with him for years, and wondered what he would think of her skills.


End file.
